ITP Support Association

Can ITP be caused by something you eat?

The ITP Support Association is to fund an important new study and invites its membership to take part!

ITP and diet
It is not unusual for those with ITP to consider changing their diet in the hope that the ITP may simply be a reaction to something they eat, or that a special diet may help to raise their platelet count.

Known cases of food intolerance affecting platelet count
A few cases of food intolerance have been written up in medical journals and over the years the Association has received anecdotal reports from a few ITP sufferers who were diagnosed with coeliac disease after ITP and found that adopting a gluten free diet helped both conditions.
At present it is not known if these food related ITP cases are extremely rare, or whether food intolerance might be implicated with ITP to a much greater degree than is currently recognised.

Who will do the research?
Professor Hunter, a leading specialist in gastroenterology research, has devised a study to investigate the incidence of food intolerance in ITP patients and is inviting adult ITP patients between the ages of 18 to 65 from the ITP Support Association membership to take part. This project, to be funded by the ITP Support Association, will be based in Addenbrookes Hospital, Cambridge and and will be run by a team including Dr Trevor Baglin (Consultant Haematologist, Addenbrookes Hospital) and experts from Cranfield University (Bedfordshire) and the Open University (Milton Keynes, Bucks).

There will be no unpleasant investigations!
After an initial interview with Professor Hunter to assess suitability for the trial, patients will be asked to complete a symptom questionnaire and blood and urine samples will be taken. In addition to a platelet count, the samples will be examined for (a) coeliac disease, (b) food allergies to the 6 most common allergens and (c) evidence of abnormal fermentation of food residues by gut flora. Anyone who proves positive for coeliac disease or food allergy will be referred back to their own doctor for appropriate diet/treatment, with their platelet count regularly monitored and any improvement in their ITP noted. Patients proving positive for abnormal gut flora will be invited to live on a special dietary substance for 4 weeks whilst having weekly blood tests. If their platelet count shows a marked improvement they will have the opportunity to consult with a dietitian and work through an elimination diet to find which foods have been responsible for the lowered platelet count.

Flow chart for the study. Click image for a larger version, (opens in new window)

Who is eligible to take part?
The study is open to adults (resident in the UK) between the ages of 18 and 65, who have chronic primary thrombocytopenia - ie. a platelet count of less than 100 for at least 12 months, and whose ITP is not secondary to any other condition. Patients who have undergone splenectomy will be included providing they are taking no other antibiotics than penicillin. Although the Association is funding this project we do not have cash available to fund patients' travel, parking or other expenses incurred in travelling to Addenbrooke's Hospital so will initially enlist recruits from those willing to fund their own expenses. (The Association may possibly consider providing discretionary reimbursement at a later stage if more recruits are needed, and if so this will be advertised on this website and in the Association's journal The Platelet)

How to apply to take part in this study
Email info@itpsupport.org.uk to request a Food Intolerance Registration Form or if you have any questions.

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