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Successful α‐interferon therapy in a child with chronic refractory idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura: A case report
Author(s) -
ASAMI TADASHI,
SAKURAI MAMORU
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
pediatrics international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.49
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1442-200X
pISSN - 1328-8067
DOI - 10.1111/j.1442-200x.1995.tb03691.x
Subject(s) - medicine , thrombocytopenic purpura , refractory (planetary science) , platelet , adverse effect , gastroenterology , intravenous immunoglobulin therapy , interferon , antibody , immunology , purpura (gastropod) , ecology , physics , astrobiology , biology
We treated a sixteen month old male with chronic refractory idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) in whom α‐interferon (IFN) therapy was effective. He developed ITP which did not respond to various treatments. Six months after admission, we began to treat him with IFN. The patient's platelet count rapidly responded to the therapy and rose above normal range. Serum levels of platelet associated immunoglobulin G (PA‐IgG) showed a tendency to decrease with the administration of IFN. After stopping the IFN therapy for a duration of 3 months, the platelet count remained normal. No serious adverse side effects, except transient fever, were observed. From the experience of this case we propose that IFN is one of the therapeutic options for treatment of refractory ITP not only in adults but also in children.