Furthermore, in patients with immune thrombocytopenia, Shan et al. [36,37] demonstrated elevated plasma levels of IL-18 but not IL-18BP during active stages of the disease, proposing also a role for IL-18/IL-18BP imbalance in the pathogenesis and course of immune thrombocytopenia. The gene discussed is IL18BP; the disease is autoimmune thrombocytopenic purpura.