Nawaz Sharif diagnosed with acute ITP

Doctor said the treatment has been started after the diagnosis was confirmed.

LAHORE (Dunya News) – Incarcerated former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif has been diagnosed with acute immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), an immune disorder that leads to an abrupt and sharp drop in blood platelets, according to a medical board treating him said on Thursday.

A doctor said the treatment has been started after the diagnosis was confirmed, adding that the ailment was treatable in Pakistan and intravenous treatment has commenced started.

"He does not have aplastic anaemia and his haemoglobin and WBC count are normal. Platelets are low though," the doctor said and added Sharif s bonemarrow was also functioning normally and is making blood as it should in addition to a normal level of reticulocytes.

The PML-N supremo was rushed to the Services Hospital from the National Accountability Bureau s Lahore office on Monday night after a massive drop in his platelet count.

Nawaz Sharif received transfusions of mega units of platelets at the hospital the next day. However, his condition deteriorated again on Wednesday evening after the platelet count fell sharply to a life-threatening level of 7,000.

What is ITP?

Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura is an immune disorder in which the blood doesn’t clot normally. This condition is now more commonly referred to as immune thrombocytopenia (ITP).

ITP can cause excessive bruising and bleeding. An unusually low level of platelets, or thrombocytes, in the blood results in ITP.

Platelets are produced in the bone marrow. They help stop bleeding by clumping together to form a clot that seals cuts or small tears in blood vessel walls and tissues. If your blood doesn’t have enough platelets, it’s slow to clot. Internal bleeding or bleeding on or under the skin can result.

People with ITP often have many purple bruises called purpura on the skin or mucous membranes inside the mouth. These bruises may also appear as pinpoint-sized red or purple dots on the skin called petechiae. Petechiae often look like a rash.

ITP can occur in both children and adults. There appears to be differences at certain ages between women and men and the development of ITP. At younger ages, ITP may be more common in women. At older ages, it may be more common in men. Children are most likely to develop this condition after a general viral illness. Some specific viruses, such as chickenpox, mumps, and measles, have been linked to ITP as well.

What are the symptoms of ITP?

The most common symptoms of ITP are:

bruising easily pinpoint-sized petechiae, often on the lower legs spontaneous nosebleeds bleeding from the gums (for example, during dental work) blood in the urine blood in the stool abnormally heavy menstruation prolonged bleeding from cuts profuse bleeding during surgery Some people with ITP have no symptoms.