Refractory Iron-deficiency anemia and intermittent melena in phenotypic type 2 Glanzmann thrombasthenia: a diagnostic challenge.

Glanzmann thrombasthenia (GT) is a rare platelet disorder caused by quantitative or qualitative defects of glycoprotein (GP) IIb/IIIa, leading to impaired platelet aggregation[1]. Classic hereditary GT, when molecularly confirmed, typically manifests with lifelong mucocutaneous bleeding, whereas gastrointestinal bleeding is uncommon and usually presents as overt hemorrhage. Here we report a case of phenotypic type 2 GT characterized predominantly by iron-deficiency anemia and intermittent melena. GT was considered a potential contributing factor based on systematic diagnostic reasoning. This case highlights the necessity of platelet function evaluation in selected clinical scenarios, particularly for gastroenterologists when routine endoscopic evaluations yield negative results.