Anti-D Immunglobulin in the Treatment of Childhood Chronic Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura.

Chronic idiopathic (immune) thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) develops in approximately 20% of children with acute ITP. The therapies for chronic refractory ITP include splenectomy, steroids, intravenous immunoglobulin (Ig), anti-D Ig, monoclonal antibodies, danazol, chemotherapy, plasma exchange, and others. We report five 5 RhD-positive, pediatric,, non-splenectomized patients with chronic immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), treated with anti-D. Patients were refractory to steroids and high dose intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG). The mean age of the patients was 10.5 years, duration of thrombocytopenia was more than 6 months, and the median platelet count was 6x 10(9)/l. Patients received a single intravenous dose of 75 microg/kg anti-D, and were monitored for response to treatment and adverse events. Complete blood cell and renal function tests were assessed at baseline and 1, 7, 14 and 28 days after infusion. By 24 hours after treatment two of patients had achieved a platelet count>20 x 10(9)/l. Mild headache, fever, or chills occurred in one patients and ameliorated with prednisone and acetaminophen premedication. None of the patients had more than 0.5 gm/dl fall in the hemoglobin level and renal dysfunction following anti-D infusion by day 1,7, 14, 28. A single 75 microg/kg dose of anti-D may increase the platelet count in some children with chronic resistant immune thrombocytopenic purpura with an acceptable safety profile. It is a valuable, safe, well tolerated, and cheap alternative to conventional chronic ITP treatments in selected non-splenectomized patients.