Premium
Severe thrombocytopenia in patients treated with suramin: Evidence for an immune mechanism in one
Author(s) -
Tisdale John F.,
Figg William D.,
Reed Eddie,
McCall Natalie A.,
Alkins Brenda R.,
Horne McDonald K.
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
american journal of hematology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.456
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1096-8652
pISSN - 0361-8609
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1096-8652(199602)51:2<152::aid-ajh10>3.0.co;2-k
Subject(s) - suramin , medicine , clinical trial , immunology , immune system , immunopathology , population , receptor , environmental health
Although suramin has long been used to treat human trypanosomiasis, recent clinical trials have tested its efficacy against the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and various malignancies. Thrombocytopenia was observed in early trials with suramin in AIDS, but has been uncommon in patients treated for solid tumors. Here we describe 5 patients out of a total of 67 (7%) who developed severe thrombocytopenia while receiving suramin as part of a phase II clinical trial for metastatic prostate carcinoma refractory to hormonal therapy. IgG purified from one patient's plasma caused suramin‐dependent platelet aggregation. There was also evidence of crossreactivity between suramin and heparin in this system. An immune mechanism, however, could not be documented in the other cases, suggesting that multiple mechanisms may be responsible for severe thrombocytopenia in this patient population. (This article is a US Government work and, as such, is in the public domain in the United States of America.) © 1996 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.