eISSN: 1897-4309
ISSN: 1428-2526
Contemporary Oncology/Współczesna Onkologia
Current issue Archive Manuscripts accepted About the journal Supplements Addendum Special Issues Editorial board Reviewers Abstracting and indexing Subscription Contact Instructions for authors Publication charge Ethical standards and procedures
Editorial System
Submit your Manuscript
SCImago Journal & Country Rank
2/2013
vol. 17
 
Share:
Share:
abstract:
Case report

Combination therapy of rituximab and corticosteroids for patients with refractory chronic immune thrombocytopenic purpura: Report on two cases

Yun Ling
,
Xinyu Qian
,
Xiangshan Cao

Wspolczesna Onkol 2013; 17 (2): 222–224
Online publish date: 2013/04/29
View full text Get citation
 
PlumX metrics:
Immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is an autoimmune disorder, for which rituximab has been proven to be an effective treatment. The response rate was reported to be approximately 60% in refractory ITP patients. However, the response time is slower than expected, and the mechanism of action of rituximab in ITP is still unclear. Thus, sometimes, the use of a combination therapy with rituximab according to different patient conditions is necessary. We report two refractory chronic ITP cases.

The two patients were administered a low dose of dexamethasone (10 mg, weekly) combined with rituximab and a smaller dose of prednisone (10 mg, daily) as maintenance therapy. Although their peripheral B cells were almost eliminated, no complete reaction was observed. The maintenance therapy with prednisone was helpful in the prevention of bleeding. The patients’ responses to rituximab treatment suggest that multiple immunological mechanisms are involved in ITP pathogenesis and that the use of a combination therapy with rituximab according to the different patient conditions is necessary.
keywords:

immune thrombocytopenic purpura, rituximab, dexamethasone, prednisone

Quick links
© 2024 Termedia Sp. z o.o.
Developed by Bentus.