Research Information System
American Journal of Hematology, vol.56, no.3, pp.191-192, 1997 (SCI-Expanded)
Ten adult patient of chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (CITP) used oral prednisone and were treated with seven doses of oral high-dose methylprednisolone (30 mg/kg). Nine of ten patients responded after HDMP treatment (pit > 150 x 109/L). Two patients having 8 and 10 years of history achieved long-term remission after first HDMP treatment. One unresponsive and one responsive patients did not accept IVIG treatment as second therapy and lost the follow-up. The remaining six patients received IVIG (0.5 mg/kg for 5 days) as second therapy after 3 months. Platelet count increased above 150 x 109/L in 4 patients and between 60-80 x 109/L in 2 patients. The peak platelet counts of both therapy users were higher under HDMP than IVIG therapy (252 ± 110.4 vs 174.2 ± 83.7 x 109/L), but the difference was not significant. Responses were transient and returned to pretreatment values at 14-30 days, excluding long-term remission of 2 (2/10) patients after HDMP treatment. No side effect was observed. Thus, oral HDMP appears a good initial therapy for continuous remission in a small ratio of patients and a good security for emergency situations and prior to surgery in adult CITP patients.