Primary immunodeficiencies, autoimmune hyperthyroidism, coeliac disease and systemic lupus erythematosus in childhood immune thrombocytopenia

Abstract

Aim: To evaluate the cumulative prevalence of coeliac disease, systemic lupus erythematosus, autoimmune hyperthyroidism and primary immunodeficiencies in children with either newly diagnosed/persistent or chronic immune thrombocytopenia (ITP).

Methods: Monocentric retrospective analysis of the clinical and biochemical features of 330 consecutive patients with ITP referred to our Pediatric Hematology Unit between January 2009 and December 2018.

Results: The prevalence of systemic lupus erythematosus (0.3%), coeliac disease (0.3%) and autoimmune hyperthyroidism (0.6%) was not increased compared to general paediatric population. Of note, the prevalence of underlying primary immunodeficiencies was 2.4%, remarkably higher than the general paediatric population (P = .005). All the patients diagnosed with immunodeficiency developed either bi-/trilinear cytopenia or splenomegaly.

Conclusion: Whilst autoimmune and immunological screening is already recommended at the onset of immune thrombocytopenia, we recommend that primary immunodeficiencies be regularly screened during follow-up, especially in case of additional cytopenia or lymphoproliferation.

Keywords: ITP; autoimmune disease; children; primary immunodeficiencies.