Glossary

Anti-(Rh) D immunoglobulin:: Blood product that acts as an antibody for a specific red blood cell.
Antibody (an-TIE-bod-E):: A protein produced by the immune system in response to foreign substances (viruses, bacterial, toxins, etc.) to help the body defend against them.
Blood cell growth factor:: Substance that causes blood cells to grow and increase in number.
Bone marrow (bone MARE-o):: Soft tissue found in the hollow interior of the bones.
Chemotherapy:: A variety of drugs used to kill cancer cells.
Chronic liver disease:: Any disease that slowly destroys the liver over a long period of time. Hepatitis C is one kind of chronic liver disease.
Gastrointestinal:: Refers to the stomach, intestines, bowel and other parts of the digestive system.
Hepatitis C:: A virus that causes inflammation of the liver.
Hypersensitivity reaction:: Your body’s allergic reaction to a substance, such as pollen, medicine, or food. An allergic reaction can cause a runny nose, sneezing, itching, rash, or trouble breathing.
Immune globulin (i-MUNE GLOB-u-lin):: A substance made up of disease-fighting parts of the blood. It is created from a pool of multiple donors.
Immune therapies:: Drugs that stimulate the immune system to have a protective response.
Immunosuppressants:: Drugs that make the immune system less active.
Interferon:: Drug that slows and stops the growth of viruses. Interferon drugs include peg-interferon.
Intravenously:: When drugs are injected directly into a vein.
ITP (Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura [id-ee-o-PATH-ick THROM-bo-sy-toe-PEE-nick PURR-pur-ah]):: ITP is an autoimmune disorder in which there is a reduced platelet count (<150 x10⁹/L) due to autoantibody or immune complexes binding to platelet surface antigens.

Idiopathic means that the cause of the disease is unknown. Doctors now know that ITP affects the immune system, so some people are calling ITP immune thrombocytopenic purpura.
Liver biopsy:: Removal of small parts of the liver via a needle for further examination.
Microliter of blood:: One very small part (one millionth of a liter) of the total amount of blood in your body. Doctors count the number of platelets in a microliter to determine your platelet count.
Nonmyeloid cancer:: Cancers that do not start in the blood-forming cells of the bone marrow.
Petechiae (pah-TEEK-ee-ay):: Tiny red or purple dots on the skin that may appear like a rash.
Platelets (PLATE-lets):: Blood cells that help prevent bleeding.
Platelet transfusion:: Platelet transfusions may be given when people have very low platelet counts which may be as a result of very heavy bleeding or if they need to increase their platelet counts for a short period of time, such as before surgery. If you need a platelet transfusion, a doctor or nurse will put an IV into your vein. Donor platelets are then pumped through the IV into your blood.
Purpura (PURR-pur-ah):: The appearance of red or purple discolorations on the skin caused by bleeding underneath the skin. (From the Latin purpura, meaning "purple").
Radiation therapy:: Treatment that uses high-energy rays, such as X-rays, to kill cancer.
Spleen (spleen):: An internal organ located near your rib cage. One of the spleens functions is to remove platelets from the blood.
Splenectomy (sple-NECK-toe-me):: Surgical removal of the spleen.
Thrombocytopenia (THROM-bo-sy-toe-PEE-nia):: A disorder in which the blood does not have enough platelets, also called low platelets. People with low platelets are at risk for abnormal bleeding.
Thrombopoietin (THROM-bo-po-EE-tin):: A hormone that helps cells in the bone marrow make new platelets.
Watch and wait:: When your doctor does not give you medicine but instead monitors your symptoms and platelet count. If your symptoms or platelet count change, he or she may start treatment.