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Glucocorticoids promote response to thrombopoietin-receptor agonists in refractory ITP: a case series

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Abstract

A proportion of patients with immune thrombocytopenic purpura are refractory to multiple therapies including thrombopoietin-receptor agonists (TPO-RA). We report 10 patients who did not respond to a TPO-RA until the addition of a glucocorticoid. These patients were previously treated with a median of 6 therapies. One patient elected to discontinue both medications despite persistent thrombocytopenia. The remaining 9 patients continued on the combination of prednisone (doses 5 mg every other day to 10 mg daily) and a TPO-RA. Combination therapy with low dose glucocorticoid and a TPO-RA may be an option for patients unresponsive to a TPO-RA alone.

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Acknowledgements

Jacqueline N. Poston receives support from an Institutional Training Grant from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (T32 HL007093).

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JNP and TBG co-wrote the manuscript. JNP analyzed the data.

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Correspondence to Terry B. Gernsheimer.

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Jacqueline N. Poston has no conflicts of interest to disclose. Terry B. Gernsheimer has been a consultant for Amgen and Novartis.

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Poston, J.N., Gernsheimer, T.B. Glucocorticoids promote response to thrombopoietin-receptor agonists in refractory ITP: a case series. Int J Hematol 110, 255–259 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12185-019-02638-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12185-019-02638-6

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