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Targeted‐immunosuppression with vincristine infusion in the treatment of immune thrombocytopenia
Author(s) -
Manoharan A.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
australian and new zealand journal of medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.596
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1445-5994
pISSN - 0004-8291
DOI - 10.1111/j.1445-5994.1991.tb01339.x
Subject(s) - medicine , immunosuppression , immune thrombocytopenia , vincristine , immune system , maintenance therapy , chemotherapy , surgery , cyclophosphamide , immunology , platelet
Twenty‐four patients with immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) were treated with vincristine (VCR) 1.0–2.0mg given as 4‐hr I.V. infusions at weekly intervals for four‐six weeks; four patients received further infusions, as maintenance therapy, at increasing intervals for up to 12 months. Eight often patients with recent‐onset (< 6 months) ITP showed an excellent and sustained response, 7/8 without maintenance therapy. Among the 14 patients with ITP of >6 months' duration, seven showed a good or excellent but only transient response; sustained responses (two good, one partial) were seen only in the three patients who received maintenance therapy. The collective global experience with this novel therapeutic approach of targeted‐immunosuppression for ITP is still small, but results to date suggest a promising role for this approach, especially in patients with recent‐onset ITP. (Aust NZ J Med 1991; 21: 405–407.)