Neonates born to mothers with immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) have an increased risk of having thrombocytopenia and bleeding. The aim of our study was to determine maternal and fetal factors that can predict bleeding risk in neonates born to mothers with ITP, and effective treatment strategies by retrospective analysis of our single-center data. We performed a retrospective data review of neonates that were recorded as ‘neonates born to mothers with ITP’ in the Neonatal ICU of Hacettepe University, Ihsan Dogramacı Children's Hospital, Ankara, Turkey. Medical records of 36 neonates born from 35 mothers were analyzed. Among the 36 neonates born to mothers with ITP, thrombocytopenia (platelet count of less than 150 × 10⁹/l) was detected in 20 (56.0%) neonates on the first day of life. Twelve of the 20 neonates with thrombocytopenia (60.0%) required treatment to increase the platelet counts. Clinical findings related to thrombocytopenia occurred in three (15.0%) neonates, but none of them presented with severe bleeding. There was no statistically significant association between neonatal lowest platelet count and maternal lowest platelet count, maternal platelet count at the time of delivery, and duration of thrombocytopenia, respectively. Neonates born to mothers with ITP have an increased tendency to develop thrombocytopenia, but severe bleeding is very rare in these neonates. Clinicians should pay special attention to follow these neonates. According to our results, both intravenous immunoglobulin and methyl prednisolone were found to be in equivalent efficacy for the treatment of neonatal thrombocytopenia due to maternal ITP.

Peripheral neuropathy is one of the complications of β-thalassemia (β-thal) that has been investigated in limited reports. We aimed to detect the rate of peripheral neuropathy and risk factors for neuropathy development in patients with β-thal. The study was performed in patients with β-thal intermedia (β-TI) or β-thal major (β-TM). Prospective electrophysiological studies were achieved via standard procedures. A total of 27 patients were enrolled in the study. Electrophysiological studies for both motor and sensory nerves were within normal range. In motor nerve studies, delayed peroneal nerve latency was found in patients with high ferritin levels, increased ulnar nerve amplitude was detected in patients ≥20 years old, and increased tibial nerve amplitude was seen in patients with low copper levels. We could not show peripheral neuropathy in our patients. Increased ferritin level, older age, and copper deficiency may cause mild changes in electrophysiological studies of motor nerves.