Chronic ITP terminating in aplastic anemia.

A 14-year-old white male developed gastric anemia with normal chromosomes following a 6-year history of chronic ITP refractory to splenectomy. The disorder was partially responsive to oxymethalone which was discontinued because of hepatotoxicity. Antiplatelet and antigranulocyte antibodies were identified in the patient's sera. Absorbed sera suppressed normal marrow CFU-C and CFU-E. This case may represent a single-entity autoimmune mechanism characterized initially by thrombocytopenia followed by pancytopenia.