The Turkish Journal of Pediatrics
2009 , Vol 51 , Num 3
Immune thrombocytopenic purpura associated with pulmonary tuberculosis
Departments of Pediatric Intensive Care, Erciyes University Faculty of Medicine, Kayseri1,İstanbul University İstanbul Faculty of Medicine, İstanbul, Turkey2,
Over the past decade, tuberculosis has been recognized worldwide as a
public health problem of increasing proportions. We report a patient who
presented with epistaxis and generalized petechiae. The diagnosis was immune
thrombocytopenia and the patient was treated with intravenous immunoglobulin
and pulse steroid. The bleeding continued and thrombocyte level was low
despite therapy. Chest X-ray and a computed tomography scan of the thorax
showed right upper lobe opacities and bilateral interstitial infiltrates. The
patient also had a history of close contact with an individual with active
tuberculosis. The thrombocytopenia was resistant to standard therapy, but
resolved after antituberculosis treatment. This report is the first case of a
child with immune thrombocytopenia secondary to pulmonary tuberculosis.
Keywords :
immune thrombocytopenic purpura, pulmonary tuberculosis.