COVID‐19‐associated immune thrombocytopenia

Bomhof, G.; Mutsaers, P.G.N.J.; Leebeek, F.W.G.; te Boekhorst, P.A.W.; Hofland, J.; Croles, F.N.; Jansen, A.J.G.

Thrombocytopenia is a risk factor for increased morbidity and mortality in patients with the new severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus, SARS‐CoV‐2 infection (COVID‐19 infection).(1) Thrombocytopenia in COVID‐19 patients may be caused by disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), sepsis or drug‐induced. Recently a single case report suggested immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) may be associated with COVID‐19 infection.(2) ITP is a rare autoimmune disease characterized by a platelet count < 100x10(9)/L, leading to an increased bleeding risk.(3) Several risk factors have been described for ITP including environmental (e.g. infection, malignancy and drugs) and genetic predisposition.(4) We report here the first case series of three patients with ITP associated with COVID‐19 infection.