Tianyi Li1, Derek T Witteman2, Eric D Weber3, Warren L Alexander4, John D Schaber5. 1. Department of Internal Medicine, William Beaumont Army Medical Center, El Paso, TX. 2. Department of Flight Medicine, Weed Army Community Hospital, Fort Irwin, CA; and. 3. Departments of Ophthalmology. 4. Hematology and Oncology, and. 5. Pathology, William Beaumont Army Medical Center, El Paso, TX.
Abstract
PURPOSE: To report a case of severe immune-mediated thrombocytopenia after intravitreal bevacizumab administration. METHODS: A 77-year-old man with right-sided macular degeneration received intravitreal bevacizumab. After his third treatment dose, he was hospitalized for symptomatic thrombocytopenia (platelet count of 3 k/μL) and underwent testing to determine the etiology. RESULTS: Initial platelet counts on admission were 3 k/μL, down from 238 k/μL 3 months before. A peripheral smear, coagulation studies, and an abdominal CT were unremarkable. A bone marrow biopsy revealed hypercellular marrow with megakaryocytic hyperplasia. Serum antiplatelet antibody testing identified antibodies against glycoprotein IV and human leukocyte antigens. A total of 13 units of platelets were administered and resulted in no significant response. Treatment with rituximab, romiplostim, and human leukocyte antigen-matched platelets resulted in slow recovery and normalization of platelet counts. CONCLUSION: The case presented shows apparent severe immune-mediated thrombocytopenia after intravitreal bevacizumab administration.
PURPOSE: To report a case of severe immune-mediatedthrombocytopenia after intravitreal bevacizumab administration. METHODS: A 77-year-old man with right-sided macular degeneration received intravitreal bevacizumab. After his third treatment dose, he was hospitalized for symptomatic thrombocytopenia (platelet count of 3 k/μL) and underwent testing to determine the etiology. RESULTS: Initial platelet counts on admission were 3 k/μL, down from 238 k/μL 3 months before. A peripheral smear, coagulation studies, and an abdominal CT were unremarkable. A bone marrow biopsy revealed hypercellular marrow with megakaryocytic hyperplasia. Serum antiplatelet antibody testing identified antibodies against glycoprotein IV and human leukocyte antigens. A total of 13 units of platelets were administered and resulted in no significant response. Treatment with rituximab, romiplostim, and human leukocyte antigen-matched platelets resulted in slow recovery and normalization of platelet counts. CONCLUSION: The case presented shows apparent severe immune-mediatedthrombocytopenia after intravitreal bevacizumab administration.