Related Experiment Videos
Diclofenac induced immune thrombocytopenia
M Epstein1, L Vickars, H Stein
1Department of Medicine, University of British Columbia, St. Paul's Hospital, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
The Journal of Rheumatology
|October 1, 1990
Summary
Scleroderma patients may experience immune thrombocytopenia from diclofenac. Stopping the drug and using prednisone restored normal platelet counts in a patient experiencing this adverse reaction twice.
Area of Science:
- Rheumatology
- Immunology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Scleroderma is an autoimmune disease affecting connective tissues.
- Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is a bleeding disorder characterized by low platelet counts.
- Drug-induced ITP is a known but uncommon complication of certain medications.
Observation:
- A patient diagnosed with scleroderma presented with recurrent episodes of thrombocytopenia.
- These episodes were temporally associated with the administration of diclofenac.
- The patient had a history of scleroderma, a condition known to have autoimmune associations.
Findings:
- The patient developed immune thrombocytopenia, a condition of low platelets, on two separate occasions.
- Both instances of thrombocytopenia were linked to diclofenac use.
- Discontinuation of diclofenac and initiation of prednisone treatment led to a normalization of platelet counts.
Implications:
- Diclofenac can potentially induce immune thrombocytopenia in patients with scleroderma.
- This case highlights the importance of considering drug-induced immune thrombocytopenia in patients with autoimmune conditions.
- Careful monitoring of platelet counts is recommended for scleroderma patients using NSAIDs like diclofenac.