[Successful treatment of an elderly patient with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura accompanied with chronic subdural hematoma, using a Chinese herbal medicine, EK-49, and ascorbic acid].

An 88 year-old woman was admitted complaining of headache. CT scan of the head revealed a right subdural hematoma. She had been followed by a local physician because of chronic thrombocytopenia. Her peripheral platelet count on admission was 0.5 x 10(4)/microliter, with a high serum level of PAIgG. Bone marrow examination revealed marked increase of megakaryocyte. Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura(ITP) accompanied with chronic subdural hematoma was diagnosed. Transient increase of platelet count and improvement of subdural hematoma was obtained by administration of prednisolone. However, platelet count decreased with tapering of prednisolone. Then combined administration of a Chinese herbal medicine, EK-49, and ascorbic acid was started. Platelet count gradually increased and no adverse effects were experienced. These results indicated that elderly patients with chronic subdural hematoma can be treated non-invasively, and that a combination of EK-49 and ascorbic acid may be effective in the treatment of refractory ITP.