Cytokines Assessment in Children with Chronic Immune Thrombocytopenia

Background Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is an acquired autoimmune disorder characterized by isolated thrombocytopenia due to increased platelet destruction and impaired platelet production. While many pediatric ITP cases follow an acute, self-limited course, a significant subset evolves into chronic ITP. The pathogenesis of chronic ITP is complex and not fully clarified; beyond autoantibody mediated platelet destruction, increasing evidence implicates T cell dysregulation, altered lymphocyte subsets, and impaired immune tolerance in disease chronicity. Aim: To assess cytokines in children with chronic immune thrombocytopenia. Patients and methods: This cross sectional study included 25 children with chronic ITP. Our patients were selected from Pediatric Hematology and Oncology Unit, Minia University Children Hospital. Participants underwent medical history and clinical examination. Demographic data and soluble CD26(sCD26) were analyzed. Results: The mean of age among the chronic ITP children was 10.3 ± 2.44 years, 11(44%) of them were males and 14(56%) were females. The consanguinity was positive in 10(40%) of our studied patients. The mean serum level of soluble CD26 (sCD26) was 0.20 ± 0.06, indicating a relatively reduced level compared to what has been reported in healthy pediatric populations. Conclusion: Pediatric patients with chronic ITP exhibit decreased sCD26, which may reflect sustained T-cell dysfunction and long-term immune dysregulation.