Abstract
Background
Autoimmune thrombocytopenia (AITP) is characterized by autoantibody-induced platelet destruction. Although several studies have shown that pathogenic autoantibodies are mainly IgG directed platelet glycoproteins (GP), a platelet GP specific test is not available in clinical laboratories. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical usefulness of a Modified Antigen Capture Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (MACE) test in the diagnosis of AITP.
Methods
We investigated fifty-seven patients who showed a platelet count lower than 100×109/L and underwent a bone marrow examination. They were classified into primary AITP (P-AITP) (n=21), secondary AITP (S-AITP) (n=15), and non-immune thrombocytopenia (NITP) (n=21) by bone marrow findings and clinical diagnosis. Platelet GP (IIb/IIIa, Ia/IIa, Ib/IX, IV)-specific antibodies and anti-HLA class I antibody were detected by MACE test.
Results
Among 57 samples, platelet GP specific antibodies were detected in 8 (22.2%) of 36 patients with AITP and 1 (4.8%) of 21 patients with NITP. The specificities were as follows: GP IIb/IIIa (n=4), GP Ia/IIa (n=5), GP Ib/IX (n=3) and GPIV (n=2). Of the nine patients with platelet GP specific antibodies, four (44.4%) had more than two platelet GP specific antibodies. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive values of the MACE test for AITP were 22.2%, 95.2%, 88.9%, 41.7%, respectively. A previous transfusion history was associated with a higher detection rate of anti-HLA class I antibodies (P<0.05).
References
1. Kelton JG, Gibbons S. Autoimmune platelet destruction: idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. Semin Thromb Hemost. 1982; 8:83–104.
2. Warner M, Kelton JG. Laboratory investigation of immune thrombocytopenia. J Clin Pathol. 1997; 50:5–12.
3. van Leeuwen EF, van der Ven JT, Engelfriet CP, von dem Borne AE. Specificity of autoantibodies in autoimmune thrombocytopenia. Blood. 1982; 59:23–6.
4. McMillan R, Tani P, Millard F, Berchtold P, Renshaw L, Woods VL Jr. Platelet-associated and plasma anti-glycoprotein autoantibodies in chronic ITP. Blood. 1987; 70:1040–5.
5. Kiefel V, Santoso S, Kaufmann E, Mueller-Eckhardt C. Autoantibodies against platelet glycoprotein Ib/IX: a frequent finding in autoimmune thrombocytopenic purpura. Br J Haematol. 1991; 79:256–62.
6. Hou M, Stockelberg D, Kutti J, Wadenvik H. Antibodies against platelet GPIb/IX, GPIIb/IIIa, and other platelet antigens in chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. Eur J Haematol. 1995; 55:307–14.
7. Cordiano I, Salvan F, Randi ML, Ruffatti MA, Steffan A, Girolami A, et al. Antiplatelet glycoprotein autoantibodies in patients with autoimmune diseases with and without thrombocytopenia. J Clin Immunol. 1996; 16:340–7.
8. Kiefel V, Santoso S, Weisheit M, Mueller-Eckhardt C. Monoclonal antibody-specific immobilization of platelet antigens (MAIPA): a new tool for the identification of platelet-reactive antibodies. Blood. 1987; 70:1722–6.
9. Klein HG, Anstee DJ, editors. Mollison's Blood transfusion in clinical medicine. 11th ed.Massachusetts: Blackwell Science;2005. 570–89.
10. Skouri H, Bettaieb A, Fromont P, Elomri H, Ennabli S, Bierling P. Platelet and granulocyte alloimmunisation in multitransfused Tunisian patients. Eur J Haematol. 2005; 75:248–51.
11. Rebulla P. A mini-review on platelet refractoriness. Haematologica. 2005; 90:247–53.
12. Kim HO, Lim HS, Kim MJ, Cho SR, Lee JW, Nahm CH, et al. Detection of platelet antibodies in the thrombocytopenic patients by modified antigen capture ELISA: A comparative study with thrombomatch EIA and flow cytometry. Korean J Hematol. 1996; 31:373–81.
13. Nomura S, Yanabu M, Soga T, Kido H, Fukuroi T, Yamaguchi K, et al. Analysis of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura patients with antiglycoprotein IIb/IIIa or Ib autoantibodies. Acta Haematol. 1991; 86:25–30.
14. Hou M, Stockelberg D, Kutti J, Wadenvik H. Antibodies against platelet GPIb/IX, GPIIb/IIIa, and other platelet antigens in chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. Eur J Haematol. 1995; 55:307–14.
15. Han KS, Park MH, Kim HO. Comparison of platelet antibody detection methods. Korean J Blood Transfusion. 1991; 2:1–9.
16. Wee JK, Kim KH, Kim AS, Jeong KC, Han JY, Kim JM. A study of platelet antibody by using flow cytometry. Korean J Clin Pathol. 1995; 15:317–26.
17. Kim HO, Kim JJ, Kim HS, Kwon OH, Lee SY. A comparative study of three detection methods for antiplatelet antibodies: ELISA, PSIFT, LCT. Korean J Blood Transfusion. 1991; 2:11–8.
18. Oh DJ, Park MH, Cho HI. Detection of serum platelet antibodies using the microplate enzyme immunoassay. Korean J Hematol. 1989; 24:103–11.
19. Um TH, Han KS, Kim DC, Hwang YS, Kim DS, Kim SI. Detection of platelet-specific antibodies employing modified antigen capture ELISA (MACE). Korean J Blood Transfusion. 1995; 6:123–9.
20. Furihata K, Nugent DJ, Bissonette A, Aster RH, Kunicki TJ. On the association of the platelet-specific alloantigen, Pena, with glycoprotein IIIa. Evidence for heterogeneity of glycoprotein IIIa. J Clin Invest. 1987; 80:1624–30.
21. Fabris F, Scandellari R, Randi ML, Carraro G, Luzzatto G, Girolami A. Attempt to improve the diagnosis of immune thrombocytopenia by combined use of two different platelet autoantibodies assays (PAIgG and MACE). Haematologica. 2002; 87:1046–52.
Table 1.
AITP |
NITP | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
P-AITP | S-AITP | Total | ||
N | 21 | 15 | 36 | 21 |
Male:Female | 1.1 | 2.0 | 1.4 | 1.6 |
Age (years)* | 52.3±1.9 | 38.6±9.0 | 49.2±12.7 | 63.0±16.0 |
Platelets count*, ×109/L | 37.0±31.7 | 57.1±27.0 | 45.3±31.4 | 56.5±23.7 |
Previous transfusion, N (%) | 4 (19.0) | 7 (46.7) | 11 (30.6) | 12 (57.1) |
Platelet GP-specific antibody, no (%) | 5 (23.8) | 3 (20.0) | 8 (22.2) | 1 (4.8) |
GP IIb/IIIa | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0 |
GP Ia/IIa | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1 |
GP Ib/IX | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
GP IV | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
Anti-HLA class I antibody, no (%) | 11 (52.4) | 9 (60.0) | 20 (55.6) | 21 (100) |