Results of treatment of childhood chronic ITP
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 1998 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | Scripta medica |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Field | Paediatry |
| Description | Chronic childhood idiopathic (immune) thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is relatively rare, accounting only for 10-20% of children with ITP. Its treatment is very difficult. The therapeutic modalities are the following: steroids (high-dose or pulse therapy, high-dose immunoblobulin, interferon, anti-D immunoglobulin, cytotoxic immunosuppressives (azathioprine), splenectomy, etc. A group of 37 children with chronic ITP was treated during the last ten years in the First Department of Pediatrics. We used all above-mentioned curative options except of anti-D immunoglobulin. The permanent increase of the platelet count over 10x10/9/l as most often reached after splenectomy (11 children), cytotoxic immunosuppressives (4 children), steroids (2 children) and interferonu alpha 2a (2 children). The 2 children treated with interferon had even the permanent platelet count above 150x10/9/l. Regarding the undesireble side-effects of some therapy (splenectomy, storoids, cytotoxic immunosuppressives), we recomend to use interferon, which has minimal side-effects,a small group of patient can reach the permanent remission and the advantage is also the possibility to use interferon in outpatients. |