Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura Epidemiology

• ITP is defined as a decrease in platelet count due to immune processes. Primary ITP, with no underlying condition, accounts for 80% of cases, while secondary ITP, linked to factors like Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), drugs, Hepatitis C, HIV, Helicobacter pylori, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, makes up the remaining 20%.
• As per the secondary analysis, the prevalence is significantly lower in children than adults because pediatric ITP rarely becomes chronic.
• In the 7MM, total cases of ITP were approximately 190,000 in 2024. These numbers are expected to increase in the forecast period 2025–2034.
• In Japan, among the age-specific cases Adults (18+ years) age group had the highest number of cases with almost 96% out of all the age groups.
• In EU4 and the UK, females are more prevalent to ITP i.e., 60% in 2024. 

DelveInsight’s “Immune thrombocytopenia purpura (ITP)– Epidemiology Forecast – 2034” report delivers an in-depth understanding of ITP, historical and forecasted epidemiology in the United States, EU4 (Germany, France, Italy, and Spain), the United Kingdom, and Japan.

Geography Covered

• The United States
• EU4 (Germany, France, Italy, and Spain) and the United Kingdom
• Japan

Study Period: 2021-2034

ITP Understanding

ITP Overview

Immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is an acquired immune-mediated disorder characterized by isolated thrombocytopenia and the absence of other conditions or agents known to induce thrombocytopenia. The incidence is 100 cases per 1 million persons annually, and approximately 50% of cases occur in children. Immune thrombocytopenic purpura in children often resolves spontaneously but is more insidious and chronic in adults. The risk of bleeding correlates to the severity of thrombocytopenia. Patients may present without symptoms, minimal bleeding, or serious hemorrhage (e.g., mucosal, intracranial, gastrointestinal, genitourinary). Older patients, patients on antiplatelet therapy, and patients with comorbid conditions may have severe bleeding manifestations.

ITP can be acute or chronic. Acute ITP is the most common form of the disease and usually affects children between 2 and 6 years old. In these patients, symptoms can develop after a viral infection and disappear after a few weeks to 6 months. Chronic ITP affects persons of any age, most often women, and lasts for at least 6 months. This form of ITP can recur, so continuous medical monitoring is required.

ITP Diagnosis

A careful history, physical examination, CBC, and review of the blood smear make a presumptive diagnosis of ITP. Response to initial treatment with corticosteroids, intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg), or anti-RhD supports the diagnosis and confirms the immune nature of thrombocytopenia. However, additional investigation is necessary to exclude secondary ITP and to provide additional information to assist with patient management.

Occasionally, a low platelet count may be detected incidentally by blood tests such as a CBC ordered for other purposes, and the individual is without apparent symptoms (asymptomatic). Inspection of the blood smear under the microscope will verify if the platelets are truly reduced in number and not simply clumped (stuck together, so they are too big to be counted by automated machines as platelets) and that the platelets are not uniformly small or exceeding large (giant platelets approximating the size of red blood cells). The red and white blood cells are normal in number and appear normal to the eye. This helps exclude consideration of leukemia and/or aplastic anemia, among other causes of thrombocytopenia. The presence of unusual cells in the blood or additional abnormalities in the blood counts might indicate the need for a bone marrow biopsy to exclude other causes of impaired platelet production and/or consideration of secondary ITP.

Further details related to diagnosis will be provided in the report…

ITP Epidemiology

The ITP epidemiology chapter in the report provides historical as well as forecasted epidemiology segmented by total prevalent cases of ITP, age-specific diagnosed prevalent cases of ITP, and gender-specific diagnosed prevalent cases of ITP in the 7MM covering the United States, EU4 (Germany, France, Italy, and Spain), United Kingdom, and Japan from 2021 to 2034. 

• In 2024, the diagnosed prevalent cases of ITP were highest in the US among the 7MM, with 67,000 cases.
• Among EU4 and the UK, the highest number of cases of ITP was found in the UK whereas Spain accounted for the lowest cases in 2024.
• ITP is more prevalent in females, with a notably higher prevalence compared to males. 
• Japan accounted for 27,600 prevalent cases of ITP in 2024. These cases are projected to increase during the forecast period. 

ITP Report Insights

• Patient population
• Country-wise epidemiology distribution

ITP report key strengths

• Ten-year forecast
• 7MM coverage 
• ITP epidemiology segmentation

FAQs

• What are the disease risks, burdens, and unmet needs of ITP? What will be the growth opportunities across the 7MM concerning the patient population with ITP?
• What is the historical and forecasted ITP patient pool in the US, EU4 (Germany, France, Italy, and Spain), the UK, and Japan?
• Which age group accounts for the highest number of ITP cases?
• How is ITP diagnosed?
• What is the difference between primary and secondary ITP?
• What are the most common underlying causes or triggers of ITP?

Reasons to Buy

• Insights on patient burden/disease prevalence, evolution in diagnosis, and factors contributing to the change in the epidemiology of the disease during the forecast years.
• To understand key opinion leaders’ perspectives around the diagnostic challenges to overcome barriers in the future.
• Detailed insights on various factors hampering disease diagnosis and other existing diagnostic challenges.
• To understand the gender-specific ITP prevalent cases in varying geographies over the coming years.