Serum levels of GM‐CSF, IL‐3 and IL‐6 were measured in patients with immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), non‐immune thrombocytopenia (NIT), autoimmune haemolytic anaemia (AIHA) and neutropenia. 8/10 children with ITP had elevated serum levels of GM‐CSF (mean 18.4 pg/ml) while thrombocytopenic, but only two had detectable levels (mean 4.5 pg/ml) after normalization of the platelet count. In patients with NIT a significant inverse correlation between platelet count and serum levels of GM‐CSF was observed. IL‐3 and IL‐6 levels were not significantly elevated in thrombocytopenic patients and only two of the nine patients with either AIHA or neutropenia had detectable levels of GM‐CSF. Thus, GM‐CSF may play a role in the response to
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