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Efficacy of high‐dose methylprednisolone as a first‐line therapy in adult patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura
Author(s) -
Alpdogan Önder,
BudakAlpdogan Tülin,
Ratip Siret,
FiratliTuglular Tülin,
Tanriverdi Serpil,
Karti Sami,
Bayik Mahmut,
Akoglu Tevfik
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
british journal of haematology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.907
H-Index - 186
eISSN - 1365-2141
pISSN - 0007-1048
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2141.1998.01096.x
Subject(s) - medicine , methylprednisolone , thrombocytopenic purpura , prednisolone , gastroenterology , first line treatment , surgery , chemotherapy , platelet
Fifty‐seven adult patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) were treated with either conventional‐dose prednisolone (CDP) (1 mg/kg/d, 36 patients) or high‐dose methylprednisolone (HDP) (30 mg/kg/d, 21 patients), as first‐line treatment. Patients in the HDP arm responded more rapidly (4.7 v 8.4 d), with a higher response rate (80% v 52.7%), and without severe side‐effects. One quarter of the patients (3/12) who were non‐responsive to CDP achieved complete remission when they were treated with HDP. The findings suggest that HDP may be a more effective first‐line treatment than CDP for adult ITP, and it may also be preferred for life‐threatening cases of ITP. However, these results must be confirmed by a randomized study prior to any change in the current practice of employing CDP as first‐line treatment for adult ITP.