Question: My 73-year-old husband suddenly developed what the doctors refer to as Idiopathic TTP autoimmune disease. He played soccer all his life and was healthy up to August this year when he noticed purple bumps on his tongue, then purple spots over his body and real baddly on his legs. He was hospitalized and given blood plasma then released with a platelet count of 45. he was prescribed Prednisone 80 mg, together with his other medication, one of which was Asaphen - which was eventually dropped as his platelet count dropped again over the next few months. The count XXXXXXX to 139, 145, and then just as suddenly dropped to -- hang on -- five (5)!! Here we go again. XXXXXXX has been to see his oncologist each week, where he continues to be on Prenisodone, together with his other medication, including heart medication as he's had a couple heart blockages which were cleared, but he still has one blockage which they couldn't clear because of the V-shape and its proximity to his heart. he's been given Prednisone(?) 80mg. My husband is now back in the hospital as his count is (1) and he's been given the same plasama building drip but so far the count has still remained at (1). It moved to (2) adn then dropped to (1) again. Yesterday he was put on Cyclokapron and i am asking your help if there is anything else you could suggest that the doctors here have not tried and which could be effective. We are in Canada, and the doctors are consulting on his behalf, but so far my husband's platelet count has not increased. Please help. Thank you.

Thank you very much Dr. XXXXXXX XXXXXXX What you have said is clearly in line with what his Oncologist is saying. Dr. L. had scheduled a bone marrow biopsy but on our office visit with her, and noting my husband's platelet count had not increased and he had started bleeding through the nose, she admitted him immediately. i don't know his full blood test workup. If you suggest I try to get it from his file, I will. Last night at the hospital while I was there, the doctor seeing him told him that they plan to try something else today (Thursday or tomorrow). The bone marrow biopsy is still planned but I don't know if they are waiting for the platelet count to go up as nothing is said to that effect. So the steroids (Prednisone) and the plasmapheresis having failed, I am going to ask Dr. L. if she has in mind to do the ADAMTS13 as you've indicated. I know that this information does not replace that of our doctor, but it certainly has given me good reason to hope that something can be done to get my husband well soon. I can't thank you enough, Dr. XXXXXXX and your peers - I know this is a consultation - for this response. It is a great one. I reserve the right to contact you again if I am still searching for answers and his progress still fails. Thank you very much! XXXXXXX Smirnow, Laval, Quebec, Canada