Drug-induced immune thrombocytopenia

Thrombocytopenia is commonly seen in laboratory findings, especially in critically ill patients. Although the incidence is rare, drug-induced immune thrombocytopenia (DITP) is a serious complication that is often overlooked as a cause of thrombocytopenia. Over the last century, extensive research and data collection have been done in an attempt to better characterize DITP. Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia is the most common DITP and has distinct pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment options. However, other offending medications are less well known and have triggered many questions and constant search for answers. This review will discuss both drug-induced immune-mediated and nonimmune-mediated thrombocytopenias, with a focus on immune-mediated processes. Thrombocytopenia caused by chemotherapy will not be discussed in this article.