Value of Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes in Detecting Immune Thrombocytopenia

In a study published in Contrast Media & Molecular Imaging, researchers explored the absolute value of peripheral blood lymphocytes and its diagnostic value in patients with primary immune thrombocytopenia (ITP). Lead author, Jun Lu, and colleagues concluded that absolute peripheral blood lymphocyte value could achieve better detection and diagnosis effect and is worthy of clinical use.

This observational study included 76 patients with primary ITP and 80 healthy controls who were admitted at the authors’ hospital between January 2020 and June 2021. An automated hematology analyzer was used to compare peripheral blood lymphocytes between early morning fasting blood samples from both groups.

Absolute Peripheral Blood Lymphocyte Count Detects ITP

Compared with the control group, the ITP group had reduced CD3+, CD3+CD4+, CD4+/CD8+, and CD16+CD56+, as well as increased CD3+CD8+, CD19+, and absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) (P<.05).

Compared with relapsed or refractory patients, newly diagnosed patients had:

• Similar CD3+CD4+ detection values (P>.05)
• Lower CD16+CD56+ detection values
• Higher CD19+ and ALC detection values

Based on disease severity, patients with mild ITP had:

• Lower CD3+, CD3+CD4+, CD4+, CD4+/CD8+, and CD16+CD56+ detection values than those in relapsed or refractory patients
• Higher CD3+, CD3+CD4+, CD4+/CD8+, and CD16+CD56+ detection values than those in severe patients
• Lower CD3+CD8+, CD19+, and ALC detection values than those in severe patients (P<.05)

Notably, the authors calculated absolute lymphocyte values had a specificity of 93.42% and a sensitivity of 90.00% in identifying primary ITP. Ultimately, Lu and colleagues suggested that their method “can achieve a better detection and diagnosis effect, which has a positive impact on the early diagnosis rate and can help patients to obtain more timely, effective, and targeted treatment, and is worthy of promotion.”

Related: ADAMTS13 Associated With Immune Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura