Neonatal Alloimmune Thrombocytopenia With Amegakaryocytosis, B Lymphopenia, and Villitis

Neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (NAIT) is a common but significant challenge for neonatologists and a potentially devastating disease that may lead to intracranial bleeding. The underlying mechanism of thrombocytopenia is expected to be mediated by accelerated clearance of antibody-opsonized fetal platelets. We report severe recurrent NAIT related to human platelet antigen (HPA)-15 systems in 2 consecutive siblings. The first child presented with intracranial hemorrhage at birth and subsequently died. The diagnosis of NAIT, although initially suspected, was ruled out after negative investigation of only HPA-1, HPA-3, and HPA-5 systems. The second child experienced a clinically milder presentation but a profound thrombocytopenia. In both siblings, NAIT was unexpectedly associated with amegakaryocytosis, suggesting that alloimmunization could extend at the megakaryocyte level. In addition, both siblings presented with drastic abnormalities in the B-cell compartment, which led to broad investigations for an immune-deficiency syndrome and provided a novel pathophysiologic hypothesis. Both placental examinations revealed major lymphoid infiltration involving the villous placenta, which is consistent with the diagnosis of villitis of unknown etiology. Severe thrombocytopenia in an otherwise healthy newborn should raise high the suspicion of NAIT. The diagnosis of NAIT should not be ruled out until extensive human platelet antigen systems have been investigated to screen for fetal-maternal antigen incompatibility. This is crucial not only for the newborn to allow optimal lifesaving treatments but also for effective management of future pregnancies. Interestingly, antibodies to HPA-15 have previously been reported with severe NAIT-related thrombocytopenia, but we are the first to report associated in vivo amegakaryocytosis.