Immune thrombocytopenia associated with lymph node tuberculosis: a case report

• Published in: Revista da Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical
• Main Authors: Juliano Córdova Vargas, Patrícia Nunes Bezerra, Murilo Sequeira, Gabriella Haydée de Oliveira, Carlos Eduardo Pegolo, Lucas Fiore, Nelson Hamerschlak, Paulo Roberto Abrão Ferreira
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Sociedade Brasileira de Medicina Tropical (SBMT) 2023
• Subjects: Immune thrombocytopenia; Lymph node tuberculosis; Tuberculosis; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1590/0037-8682-0072-2023; https://doaj.org/article/a6fb7cfa0cd746d0b0596a84de3fdf66

ABSTRACT Extrapulmonary tuberculosis associated with immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is extremely rare. A likely association between ITP and pulmonary and lymph node tuberculosis was reported in a 29-year-old male patient. His platelet count decreased to 4,000/µL. Chest tomography revealed mediastinal adenomegaly, lymph node clusters in the aorta, and consolidation in the left upper lung lobe. Immunoglobulin and methylprednisolone were administered intravenously. The histopathology of the left upper lung lobe confirmed tuberculosis. The rifampicin/isoniazid/pyrazinamide/ethambutol regimen was initiated, and the corticosteroids were tapered off. This case suggests an association of tuberculosis with ITP, since the platelet count effectively normalized after tuberculosis treatment.