Inflammatory bowel disease and immune thrombocytopenic purpura: is there a correlation?

Different hematologic abnormalities are often encountered in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. Among them anemia, leukocytosis, and thrombocytosis are commonly seen. Leukopenia and thrombocytopenia are observed mostly as a side effect of therapy, particularly with use of immunosuppressive drugs. Immune thrombocytopenic purpura is rarely reported in association with inflammatory bowel disease. We present two cases with combination of these entities along with a literature review and treatment options. Immune thrombocytopenic purpura in these patients presented as an extraintestinal manifestation of inflammatory bowel disease mediated by a disturbance of the immune system.