The Epidemiology of Adult ITP

Primary ITP is an autoimmune disease involvingautoantibody-mediated platelet destruction, suboptimal plateletproduction, and T-cell-mediated platelet lysis. These processes causea decreased peripheral blood platelet count, resulting in anincreased susceptibility to bleeding events. Despite a markedincrease in epidemiological research over the past decade,unresolved questions remain with regard to disease pathogenesis, treatmenteffectiveness, and co-morbid burden among adults with primary ITP. Using data from national disease registries and the medicalliterature, this dissertation aims (1) to characterise associations offunctional, candidate SNPs in cytokine or cytokine receptor geneswith primary ITP among Caucasian adults, (2) to assess the utilityof autologous In-labelled platelet sequestration studies prior topossible splenectomy, (3) to evaluate the effectiveness oferadication therapy in elevating platelet counts in H. pylori-infectedpatients, (4) to document health-related lifestyle concerns, and (5)to characterise associations of primary ITP among adults with botharterial and venous thromboembolic events.