This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the relationship between plasma autoantibody species and rhTPO response in adult ITP patients who failed the first‐line treatments. Plasma anti‐glycoprotein (GP) IIb/IIIa and anti‐GPIb/IX autoantibodies were detected in 47·2% and 40·6% of the 123 patients, respectively. Overall response rate to rhTPO treatment in patients without anti‐GPIb/IX autoantibodies was significantly higher than patients with anti‐GPIb/IX autoantibodies (82·2% vs. 60·0%, P = 0·006). By contrast, no statistical difference in response rate was observed between patients with or without anti‐GPIIb/IIIa autoantibodies (74·1% vs. 72·3%, P = 0·819). Therefore, the presence of anti‐GPIb/IX autoantibodies might serve as a predictive factor for poor response to rhTPO treatment in ITP.