Efficacy and Safety of Rituximab in Pediatric Chronic Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura in Duhok/Kurdistan

Abdullah Garjees, Nadir; Abdullah Muhsin, Abdulrahman; Mohammad Al-Atrushi, Akrem

	Efficacy and Safety of Rituximab in Pediatric Chronic Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura in Duhok/Kurdistan
Medical Journal of Babylon
Article 1, Volume 13, Issue 3, 2016, Pages 0-0
Authors
Nadir Abdullah Garjees; Abdulrahman Abdullah Muhsin; Akrem Mohammad Al-Atrushi
Abstract
Chronic or refractory Immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is a difficult-to-manage condition enfaced by pediatricians. Known ways of treatment like long term use of steroids and immunosuppressant show poor response and multiple side effects. Splenectomy may be used as a modality. Many studies have been done about effectiveness of rituximab in chronic ITP before splenectomy and its safety.This study was performed to assess the efficacy and safety of rituximab for childhood chronic ITP as a step of treatment prior to splenectomy. A prospective cohort study included 12 patients with chronic ITP in Duhok city. These patients were aged 2 -18 years and had platelet counts < 20 × 10(9)/L; for more than 1 yearand showed recurrent bleeding from mucous membrane and were treated in different ways with no response. Rituximab was given to them and they were followed up for more than 1 year. Eight patients (66.7 %) attained platelet count of more than 50× 109/L with no signs of bleeding tendency, of them five patients (41.6 %) had complete response (platelet count was >100×109/l) , three patients( 25%) had partial response (platelet count was <50×109/l). Four patients (33.3%) had no response (the platelet count remained low with no raising). No serious side effects were recorded during treatment and follow up.
Keywords
Immune thrombocytopenic purpura; Rituximab; response; Duhok

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