I-WISh interim results report real-world impact of immune thrombocytopenia on patients.- Novartis

Many patients with the rare blood disorder immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) find the disease has a negative impact on their everyday quality of life, according to interim results of a Novartis survey, called I-WISh, presented at the 23rd Congress of the European Hematology Association (EHA) in Stockholm, Sweden (Abstract #PF654). I-WISh, a collaboration among global ITP experts, patient groups and Novartis, aims to uncover the impact of the disease on daily life, and patients' perceptions toward treatment and management of their condition.

Interim survey results from more than 1,300 ITP patients revealed that they have concerns about the impact of ITP on their quality of life. Results showed that more than one-third (36%) of patients said that having ITP had a high impact on their emotional well-being while 28% of patients had disease symptoms that caused them to miss work. About two-thirds of patients reported that fatigue was their most severe symptom at diagnosis (71%) and at survey completion (64%). The I-WISh Steering Committee developed the ITP Life Quality Index (ILQI), a ten-question tool designed to help quantify and monitor the quality of life impact of ITP on patients. The ILQI was validated in qualitative analyses prior to being unveiled in the I-WISh survey and will allow clinicians to better monitor symptoms beyond bleeding and to rely on more than platelet counts when treating ITP patients. Overall, the two main treatment goals reported by patients were achieving healthy blood counts (79%) and increasing their energy levels (55%).

About the ITP/ World Impact Survey (I-WISh) : The international I-WISh survey is a cross-sectional survey of 1,400 patients with ITP and 480 healthcare providers who treat the condition from 14 countries (Canada, China, Colombia, Egypt, France, Germany, Italy, India, Japan, Norway, Spain, Turkey, United Kingdom and United States). The interim results were from more than 1,300 patients in 13 countries who completed an online questionnaire beginning in January 2018 to measure ITP-related symptoms and the impact of the condition on daily life, and patients' perceptions toward treatment and management of their condition. Additional survey results will be presented later this year.