Bad nutrition, life in a state of stress, deterioration of the environment - all this affects the health of a person not for the better. As a result, the disease caused by the failure of a particular system in the body became more frequent. These include autoimmune (idiopathic) thrombocytopenia or Verlhof's disease.
Types and causes of autoimmune thrombocytopenia
This is a blood disease, in which the number of platelets is reduced because of the fact that immunity begins to produce antibodies against this group of cells. Autoimmune thrombocytopenia occurs:
- primary, that is, arising out of itself;
- secondary, manifested as a consequence of the defeat of the immune system as a result of diseases such as cancer of the lymph nodes, HIV, rubella, autoimmune hepatitis, etc .;
- drug, which occurs after taking medication or narcotic drugs.
Symptoms of autoimmune thrombocytopenia
A characteristic sign of the development of this disease is the appearance of multiple hemorrhages in the form of small points. Most often they are located on the skin of the trunk and extremities. Also hemorrhagic eruptions can begin. In addition, there is bleeding of the mucosa in the oral and nasal cavities.
Since platelets are responsible for clotting of blood, it means that with such a diagnosis, if the skin is damaged, bleeding can not be stopped long. This also affects the fact that women's menstrual periods are more abundant, and in feces there is blood.
If no irreparable complications were observed (for example, cerebral hemorrhage), the prognosis for patients with autoimmune thrombocytopenia is optimistic. The disease will either pass by itself, or recovery will come as a result of treatment.
Treatment of autoimmune thrombocytopenia
The main treatment for autoimmune thrombocytopenia is aimed at suppressing the production of autoantibodies that destroy platelets, but in the first place it must be diagnosed. For this, a number of tests should be submitted:
- a general blood test ;
- general urine analysis;
- test according to the Steffen method (determination of the amount of antiglobulins);
- Dickson test (antibody counting).
With a mild degree of autoimmune thrombocytopenia, hormonal drugs from the group of glucocorticosteroids (most often prednisolone at the rate of 1 mg per kg of body weight) are prescribed. Take it requires a full recovery, and then gradually reduce the dose. If such therapy does not help, doctors perform an operation to remove the spleen.