Haematologica
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Published online 9 April 2008
Haematologica, Vol 93, Issue 6, 930-933 doi:10.3324/haematol.12206
Copyright © 2008 by Ferrata Storti Foundation
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Brief Report

Lower dose rituximab is active in adults patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura

Francesco Zaja1, Marta Lisa Battista1, Maria Teresa Pirrotta2, Salvatore Palmieri3, Michela Montagna4, Nicola Vianelli5, Luciana Marin1, Margherita Cavallin1, Monica Bocchia2, Marzia Defina2, Micaela Ippoliti2, Felicetto Ferrara3, Francesca Patriarca1, Maria Antonietta Avanzini4, Mario Regazzi4, Michele Baccarani5, Miriam Isola6, Franca Soldano6, Renato Fanin1

1 Clinica Ematologica, DIRM, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria, Udine;
2 Clinica Ematologica, Policlinico Le Scotte, Siena;
3 Divisione di Ematologia, AORN "A. Cardarelli", Napoli;
4 Dipartimento di Farmacologia, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia;
5 Istituto di Ematologia ed Oncologia Medica L. ed A. Seragnoli, Bologna and
6 Cattedra di Statistica, DIRM, Università di Udine, Italy

Correspondence: Francesco Zaja, M.D., Clinica Ematologica, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria, piazza S. Maria della Misericordia, 33100 Udine, Italy. E-mail:zaja.francesco{at}aoud.sanita.fvg.it

ABSTRACT

Rituximab 375 mg/m2 weekly for four weeks has significant activity in patients with immune thrombocytopenia. We evaluated the activity of lower dose rituximab (100 mg iv weekly for 4 weeks) in 28 adults with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. Overall (platelet count > 50x109/L) and complete responses (platelet count > 100x109/L) were achieved in 21/28 (75%) and 12/28 (43%) patients respectively. The median time to response and time to complete response were 31 and 44 days respectively. After a median follow-up of 11 months (range 3–18), 7/21 (33%) patients relapsed and 3 needed further treatments. In patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, lower dose rituximab seems to show similar activity to standard dose.

Key words: immune thrombocytopenia, B-cell depletion, lower dose rituximab.






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Copyright © 2008 by the Ferrata Storti Foundation.