Ehab Hanafy1, Mohammed Al Pakra1. 1. Prince Sultan Oncology Center, King Salman Armed Forces Hospital, Tabuk, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Chronic refractory immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is defined as the failure of any modality to maintain the platelet count above 20 × 103/μL for an appreciable time without unacceptable toxicity. To date, certain predictive factors have been associated with refractory ITP. However, none of the published studies has declared the possible association between obesity and refractory ITP. CASE REPORTS: We present the cases of 3 children with ITP who failed to achieve remission on different therapeutic approaches including rituximab, vincristine, and romiplostim. The 3 children had obesity as a common feature. CONCLUSION: We present these cases to propose a possible association between obesity and refractoriness of ITP to different therapeutic approaches and to emphasize the need for further study to establish whether a causal relationship exists.
BACKGROUND: Chronic refractory immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is defined as the failure of any modality to maintain the platelet count above 20 × 103/μL for an appreciable time without unacceptable toxicity. To date, certain predictive factors have been associated with refractory ITP. However, none of the published studies has declared the possible association between obesity and refractory ITP. CASE REPORTS: We present the cases of 3 children with ITP who failed to achieve remission on different therapeutic approaches including rituximab, vincristine, and romiplostim. The 3 children had obesity as a common feature. CONCLUSION: We present these cases to propose a possible association between obesity and refractoriness of ITP to different therapeutic approaches and to emphasize the need for further study to establish whether a causal relationship exists.
Authors: Francesco Rodeghiero; Roberto Stasi; Terry Gernsheimer; Marc Michel; Drew Provan; Donald M Arnold; James B Bussel; Douglas B Cines; Beng H Chong; Nichola Cooper; Bertrand Godeau; Klaus Lechner; Maria Gabriella Mazzucconi; Robert McMillan; Miguel A Sanz; Paul Imbach; Victor Blanchette; Thomas Kühne; Marco Ruggeri; James N George Journal: Blood Date: 2008-11-12 Impact factor: 22.113