Relationship between response to first-line steroid treatment in adult immune thrombocytopenic purpura and the course of the disease

Background: Immune thrombocytopenic purpura, a recurrent autoimmune disease, is characterized by thrombocytopenia, purpura and hemorrhagic episodes with the main factor in the pathogenesis of this disease being autoantibodies against platelets. Since the 1950s, first-line treatment has been glucocor...

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Main Authors: Esra Seçkin, Rafiye Ciftciler
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2024-11-01
Series:Hematology, Transfusion and Cell Therapy
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2531137924002700
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author Esra Seçkin
Rafiye Ciftciler
author_facet Esra Seçkin
Rafiye Ciftciler
author_sort Esra Seçkin
collection DOAJ
description Background: Immune thrombocytopenic purpura, a recurrent autoimmune disease, is characterized by thrombocytopenia, purpura and hemorrhagic episodes with the main factor in the pathogenesis of this disease being autoantibodies against platelets. Since the 1950s, first-line treatment has been glucocorticoids that have indirect and direct effects on thrombocytopenia. Although the characteristics associated with the chronicization of immune thrombocytopenic purpura at the time of diagnosis have been investigated in previous studies, no study was found in the literature investigating the relationship between the response to first-line steroid treatment and the course of the disease, the aim of this study. Materials and methods: This retrospective, single center study revisited electronic files of patients with a diagnosis of immune thrombocytopenic purpura between September 2012 and September at the Department of Clinical Hematology, Selcuk University Faculty of Medicine 2022. The platelet count had been confirmed by peripheral blood smears of patients with a platelet count ≤30 × 109/L. The bleeding status of patients at the time of diagnosis was evaluated according to the immune thrombocytopenic purpura bleeding score. Patient responses to treatment were categorized in three groups: a platelet count ≤30 × 109/L was defined as no-response, a platelet count of 30–100 × 109/L was defined as partial response, and a platelet count >100 × 109/L was defined as complete response. Subsequently, patients in the partial or complete response groups were divided into two subgroups: patients who remained in remission for less than or more than six months. Results: A total of 100 patients were included in the study; 73 % were in the young (19–65 years old) and 27 % in the old (>65 years old) age group. Most of the patients were female (69 %). Forty-one patients were hospitalized without bleeding. The complete response rate to first-line treatment was 61 %. There was no significant difference between the agents given in first-line treatment in terms of response and length of remission. Conclusion: The main purpose of immune thrombocytopenic purpura treatment is to prevent severe bleeding rather than bringing the platelet count to normal values. Glucocorticoids, the first step of treatment, provide high response rates. There is no significant difference between glucocorticoid agents in terms of response to treatment and long-term remission. The points to be considered in the selection of glucocorticoid agents are the side effect profiles, ease of administration and individualization of treatment.
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spelling doaj-art-0443d914c483465eae3ea2c7ff7eae242025-08-20T02:51:42ZengElsevierHematology, Transfusion and Cell Therapy2531-13792024-11-0146S208S21310.1016/j.htct.2024.03.008Relationship between response to first-line steroid treatment in adult immune thrombocytopenic purpura and the course of the diseaseEsra Seçkin0Rafiye Ciftciler1Selcuk University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Konya, TurkeySelcuk University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Hematology, Konya, Turkey; Corresponding author at: Selcuk University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Hematology, Konya, TurkeyBackground: Immune thrombocytopenic purpura, a recurrent autoimmune disease, is characterized by thrombocytopenia, purpura and hemorrhagic episodes with the main factor in the pathogenesis of this disease being autoantibodies against platelets. Since the 1950s, first-line treatment has been glucocorticoids that have indirect and direct effects on thrombocytopenia. Although the characteristics associated with the chronicization of immune thrombocytopenic purpura at the time of diagnosis have been investigated in previous studies, no study was found in the literature investigating the relationship between the response to first-line steroid treatment and the course of the disease, the aim of this study. Materials and methods: This retrospective, single center study revisited electronic files of patients with a diagnosis of immune thrombocytopenic purpura between September 2012 and September at the Department of Clinical Hematology, Selcuk University Faculty of Medicine 2022. The platelet count had been confirmed by peripheral blood smears of patients with a platelet count ≤30 × 109/L. The bleeding status of patients at the time of diagnosis was evaluated according to the immune thrombocytopenic purpura bleeding score. Patient responses to treatment were categorized in three groups: a platelet count ≤30 × 109/L was defined as no-response, a platelet count of 30–100 × 109/L was defined as partial response, and a platelet count >100 × 109/L was defined as complete response. Subsequently, patients in the partial or complete response groups were divided into two subgroups: patients who remained in remission for less than or more than six months. Results: A total of 100 patients were included in the study; 73 % were in the young (19–65 years old) and 27 % in the old (>65 years old) age group. Most of the patients were female (69 %). Forty-one patients were hospitalized without bleeding. The complete response rate to first-line treatment was 61 %. There was no significant difference between the agents given in first-line treatment in terms of response and length of remission. Conclusion: The main purpose of immune thrombocytopenic purpura treatment is to prevent severe bleeding rather than bringing the platelet count to normal values. Glucocorticoids, the first step of treatment, provide high response rates. There is no significant difference between glucocorticoid agents in terms of response to treatment and long-term remission. The points to be considered in the selection of glucocorticoid agents are the side effect profiles, ease of administration and individualization of treatment.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2531137924002700Immune thrombocytopenic purpuraThrombocytopeniaBleedingSteroid
spellingShingle Esra Seçkin
Rafiye Ciftciler
Relationship between response to first-line steroid treatment in adult immune thrombocytopenic purpura and the course of the disease
Hematology, Transfusion and Cell Therapy
Immune thrombocytopenic purpura
Thrombocytopenia
Bleeding
Steroid
title Relationship between response to first-line steroid treatment in adult immune thrombocytopenic purpura and the course of the disease
title_full Relationship between response to first-line steroid treatment in adult immune thrombocytopenic purpura and the course of the disease
title_fullStr Relationship between response to first-line steroid treatment in adult immune thrombocytopenic purpura and the course of the disease
title_full_unstemmed Relationship between response to first-line steroid treatment in adult immune thrombocytopenic purpura and the course of the disease
title_short Relationship between response to first-line steroid treatment in adult immune thrombocytopenic purpura and the course of the disease
title_sort relationship between response to first line steroid treatment in adult immune thrombocytopenic purpura and the course of the disease
topic Immune thrombocytopenic purpura
Thrombocytopenia
Bleeding
Steroid
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2531137924002700
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