idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura

9.9

A condition that causes easy bruising and bleeding because the blood has very few platelets for no known reason

noun
/ˌɪdiəˈpæθɪk θrɒmbəʊsɪtəʊˈpɛnɪk ˈpɜːrpjʊrə/

Specialized

: púrpura trombocitopénica idiopática

Symptoms of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura include easy bruising and bleeding, caused by a reduction in blood platelets.

Examples

Background: Diagnosis and management of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) have been based primarily on expert opinion and practice guidelines rather than on evidence.

Academic text (2001)
Management of childhood idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is based more on opinion and local practices than on evidence and has been the subject of fierce debate for decades.

Academic text (2001)
Doctors often see patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, which leads to the appearance of purpura due to low platelet counts.
The patient was diagnosed with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, which means the cause of her low platelet levels is unknown.

Synonyms

thrombocytopenia

vsidiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura

Specialized

1 9.9

A low number of small blood cells that help stop bleeding

is narrower by stressing purpura and unknown origin rather than bleeding risk

thrombocytopenic purpura

vsidiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura

Specialized

7.9

Purple spots or bruises on the skin caused by low blood platelets

is the same but specifies unknown cause for the platelet decrease

Werlhof's disease

vsidiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura

Specialized

9.9

A condition in which the blood has too few platelets, causing easy bruising and bleeding

is similar but focuses on unknown origin causing the platelet reduction

thrombopenia

vsidiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura

Specialized

9.9

A low number of tiny blood parts that help stop bleeding

is more specific and adds purpura plus unknown cause to that low count

essential thrombocytopenia

vsidiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura

Specialized

9.0

A blood disorder with very few platelets, the tiny blood parts that stop bleeding, not caused by another disease

is defined by unknown origin for the platelet drop rather than primary status

Surface Forms

idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura singular

idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpuras plural

Morphology

idiopathic + thrombocytopenic + purpura

Each component directly contributes to the overall sense: 'idiopathic' = of unknown cause, 'thrombocytopenic' = relating to low platelet counts, and 'purpura' = purple skin spots from bleeding. Put together the phrase transparently denotes purpura caused by thrombocytopenia of unknown origin; although technical, the meaning is fully compositional and predictable to a learner who knows the constituent words.

Etymology

Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura comes from older words: idiopathic meaning 'unknown cause', thrombocytopenic meaning 'few platelets', and purpura meaning 'purple spots' on the skin. So the name shows purple bruises from low platelets with no known cause, which is what the condition means today.