Abstract:
Objective To explore the short-term efficacy of recombinant human thrombopoietin (rhTPO) as first-line treatment in elderly patients with severe primary immune thrombocytopenia (ITP).
Methods From March 2016 to November 2019, 36 elderly patients (aged 65 years or above) with severe ITP were selected from the Department of Hematology, Qingpu Branch of Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University and the Department of Hematology, Jinshan Hospital, Fudan University, patients were divided into rhTPO combined with classic first-line treatment group (rhTPO group, n=22) and only treated with classic first-line treatment group (control group, n=14). The short-term response rate, time to initial response, peak platelet counts, and time of peak platelet counts between two groups were compared and clinical characteristics possibly correlated with the efficacy of rhTPO were analyzed.
Results The short-term overall response rates in the rhTPO group and control group were 100% (22/22) and 92.9% (13/14), respectively, and the short-term complete response rates were 72.7% (16/22) and 64.3% (9/14), respectively. However, the median time to initial response in the rhTPO group was significantly shorter than that in the control group4.0 (3.0, 6.0) d vs 6.0 (4.0, 7.3) d, P=0.026. In patients who did not receive intravenous immunoglobin and platelet transfusion, peak platelet counts in the rhTPO group were significantly higher than that in the control group(126.8±42.9)×109/L vs (79.3±42.0)×109/L, P=0.031.
Conclusions First-line treatment combined with rhTPO effectively shortens the time to initial response and increases platelet counts in elderly patients with severe ITP.