Measurement of platelet antibodies: where do we stand?

The immune pathogenesis of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is well established; however, the diagnostic criteria do not require identification of platelet autoantibodies. The abundance of methods devised for the measurement of platelet antibodies over the years provides evidence of the so‐far futile search for a reliable diagnostic assay. The latest generation of platelet antigen‐specific assays has widened the knowledge of autoimmune mechanisms in thrombocytopenia, but they still lack sufficient sensitivity to be a useful tool in the routine evaluation of thrombocytopenic patients.