Nawaz's health improves, doctors recommend against discharge

PML-N supremo's platelet count reaches 55,000

The health of three-time prime minister Nawaz Sharif showed further improvement on Friday as his platelet count – which had earlier reduced due to a blood disorder – reached 55,000.

Nawaz has been admitted in Lahore's Services Hospital for the past 11 days. He was diagnosed with acute idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) and underwent a five-day Intravenous Immunoglobulin (IVIg) therapy. The former prime minister also suffered an angina attack during his hospitalisation.

However, the head of the government-constituted medical board, Dr Mahmood Ayaz, recommended against discharge.

The team is scheduled to run more tests. Sources informed Express News that the medication for ITP was affecting Nawaz’s heart and kidneys as the former premier has multiple pathologies.



Acute Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura

More commonly referred to as immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), it is a disorder that can lead to easy or excessive bruising and bleeding.

According to Mayo Clinic, the bleeding results from unusually low levels of platelets — the cells that help blood clot. The symptoms include easy or excessive bruising, superficial bleeding into the skin that appears as pinpoint-sized reddish-purple spots (petechiae) that look like a rash - usually on the lower legs, bleeding from the gums or nose.

Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) therapy

According to Harvard Medical School, intravenous immunoglobulin is primarily used to treat other autoimmune and inflammatory conditions.

Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) contains the pooled immunoglobulin G (IgG) immunoglobulins from the plasma of approximately a thousand or more blood donors, according to E-medicine.