Open AccessOpportunities for the use of thrombopoietic growth factors
Author(s) -
Schiffer Charles A.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
stem cells
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.159
H-Index - 229
eISSN - 1549-4918
pISSN - 1066-5099
DOI - 10.1002/stem.5530160728
Subject(s) - thrombopoietin , aplastic anemia , thrombocytopenic purpura , stem cell , immunology , eltrombopag , myeloid leukemia , myelodysplastic syndromes , biology , myeloid , clinical trial , transplantation , platelet , immune system , medicine , bioinformatics , immune thrombocytopenia , bone marrow , haematopoiesis , genetics
Highly lineage specific thrombopoietic factors are now available which can produce substantial increments in platelet counts and attenuate the severity of therapy induced thrombocytopenia in preclinical models and early trials in patients. These striking findings are not equivalent to proving clinical benefit to patients, however, and studies are now in progress in a variety of clinical settings. Methodologic issues which could influence the interpretation of studies using thrombopoietin to mitigate thrombocytopenia in patients treated for acute myeloid leukemia and following stem cell transplantation are discussed. Studies in thrombocytopenic patients with myelodysplasia, aplastic anemia, immune thrombocytopenic purpura, as well as selected platelet and stem cell donors, are also of interest. It is unclear, however, whether patients with impaired marrow function can benefit from further exogenous stimulation, and side effects must be very carefully monitored in studies with normal donors.