Epidemiology of acquired thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura

Acquired thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (аTTP) is a rare disease with a variety of clinical manifestations, including fever, anemia, thrombocytopenia, neurological symptoms and acute renal injury. This condition was first described in 1924. Nowadays the pathophysioimmunological aspects that distinguish aTTP from other thrombotic vasculopathies serve as a target for innovative therapies. TTP consists of hereditary and acquired types. The acquired one could be further divided into idiopathic and secondary. The current classification of the World Health Organization puts TTP in the category of thrombotic microangiopathies.The epidemiological study of aTTP is a difficult process due to a number of objective factors. This condition is characterized by a distinctive laboratory immunological panel, which is often missing in most clinical centres. The presence of severe clinical presentations, common comorbidities and rapid lethal progression are also obstacles to understand aTTP’s real-world prevalence.This publication aims to analyse the available epidemiological data on aTTP, as well as to provide an estimate of this condition’s prevalence in Bulgaria. Read the whole article here.