TY  -  JOUR
AU  -  Gargiullo, Livia
AU  -  Gambacorta, Sara
AU  -  Di Mauro, Margherita
AU  -  Inzaghi, Elena
AU  -  Grandin, Annalisa
AU  -  Palumbo, Giuseppe
AU  -  Tarissi De Jacobis, Isabella
T1  -  Clinical, laboratory and therapeutic gender differences in pediatric immune thrombocytopenia: a retrospective monocentric case-study
PY  -  2026
Y1  -  2026-01-01
DO  -  10.1723/4653.46675
JO  -  Journal of Sex- and Gender-Specific Medicine
JA  -  J Sex Gender Specif Med
VL  -  12
IS  -  1
SP  -  11
EP  -  18
PB  -  Il Pensiero Scientifico Editore
SN  -  2974-8623
Y2  -  2026/04/25
UR  -  http://dx.doi.org/10.1723/4653.46675
N2  -  Summary. Gender medicine is an emerging field of research that investigates the differences between sexes in health status, disease onset, progression, and treatment response. This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the impact of gender and age on the clinical presentation, progression, and therapeutic response of immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) in pediatric patients. The study included 356 children diagnosed with ITP between 2009 and 2023 at a tertiary pediatric centre. The cohort was equally divided by sex (178 males and 178 females), with patients ranging from 10 days to 19 years of age. Clinical variables collected included age at diagnosis, ITP classification (newly diagnosed, persistent, chronic), platelet counts at onset and after treatment, mucosal involvement, and therapeutic outcomes. Patients were stratified into age groups, including a pubertal threshold (>11 years in males, >10 years in females), to assess potential hormonal influences. The results showed that newly diagnosed ITP was more frequent in younger children, while chronic forms were more common in pubertal females. Response to first-line therapy was significantly higher in younger age groups and lower in older females, suggesting a role of hormonal or immunological factors in disease chronicity. No statistically significant differences were found in platelet count response by gender or age, although graphical trends supported an age-related variation in therapeutic efficacy. These findings underscore the relevance of incorporating gender and age variables in the management of pediatric ITP and support the broader application of gender-specific approaches in pediatric haematology. Limitations include the retrospective design and the single-centre setting, which may affect generalisability. Nonetheless, the study provides useful insights for future personalised treatment strategies in childhood ITP.
ER  -