Diet for Thrombocytopenic patient

Dr.Ashis Kumar Ghosh

                         MBBS, DCH.MD
Assistant Professor
Paediatric Hematology and Oncology
National Institute of Cancer Research and Hospital
Mohakali, Dhaka, Bangladesh

 

Foods to eat

Generally speaking, the best foods for ITP are those that are considered “whole” and “clean.” In other words, you should choose foods that aren’t packaged or processed. Whole, unprocessed foods provide your body with more energy and reduce instances of fatigue Your diet should consist of:

• whole fruits
• vegetables (especially leafy greens)
• skinless poultry, such as chicken breast and ground turkey
• fatty fish, such as salmon
• healthy fat, including avocado and olive oil
• flaxseed
• nuts and nut butter (in small quantities)
• whole grains
• whole-wheat bread and pasta
• eggs
• low-fat dairy products (in moderation)

Also, you may want to consider opting for organic products when they’re available. Organic foods can be pricey, but they contain lower levels of pesticide residue than non-organic options.

If you can’t budget the money to buy organic, try to at least avoid fruits and vegetables with higher amounts of pesticide residue. According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), these include strawberries, apples, pears, and spinach, among other foods.

Foods to avoid

On the flipside, it’s important to know which foods can aggravate your ITP symptoms (if any) so that you can stay away from them.

If you’re not sure what these are, consider keeping a food journal. Use the journal to track everything you’re eating as it relates to change in the frequency or severity of your symptoms.

And make sure you’re accounting for any other health conditions or allergies you may have. Talk to your doctor and hematologist about foods to avoid based on your ITP and any other underlying health conditions. Some foods to avoid are:

• red meat
• saturated fats found in whole dairy products
• non-plant-based oils, such as butter and margarine
• fruits that have natural blood-thinning effects, such as tomatoes and berries (eat in limited quantities)
• fast food
• convenience food found in boxed and frozen food aisles
• canned food
• garlic and onion (these also have blood-thinning effects)

Treatment

In cases of refractory or non-responsive ITP, second-line therapy includes splenectomy or rituximab, a monoclonal antibody against the CD20 antigen (anti-CD20). In patients who continue to have severe thrombocytopenia and symptomatic bleeding despite first- and second-line treatments, the diagnosis of “chronic refractory ITP” is appropriate, and third-line treatments are evaluated. This manuscript describes the efficacy of different treatment options for primary ITP and introduces the reader to various third-line options that are emerging as a means of treating chronic refractory ITP.

Azathioprine with or without prednisone, vincristine or vinblastine, cyclophosphamide, cyclosporin, dapsone, and combination chemotherapy are a few treatment options for chronic ITP. Patients with chronic ITP are also suitable candidates for splenectomy, as discussed before.