Lower dose rituximab is active in adults patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura

• Published in: Haematologica (Roma) Vol. 93; no. 6; pp. 930 - 933
• Main Authors: Zaja, Francesco, Battista, Marta Lisa, Pirrotta, Maria Teresa, Palmieri, Salvatore, Montagna, Michela, Vianelli, Nicola, Marin, Luciana, Cavallin, Margherita, Bocchia, Monica, Defina, Marzia, Ippoliti, Micaela, Ferrara, Felicetto, Patriarca, Francesca, Avanzini, Maria Antonietta, Regazzi, Mario, Baccarani, Michele, Isola, Miriam, Soldano, Franca, Fanin, Renato
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Pavia Haematologica 01.06.2008; Ferrata Storti Foundation
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Antibodies, Monoclonal - administration & dosage; Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; B-Lymphocytes - metabolism; Biological and medical sciences; Disease-Free Survival; Female; Hematologic and hematopoietic diseases; Humans; Immunologic Factors - administration & dosage; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Platelet Count; Platelet diseases and coagulopathies; Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic - drug therapy; Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic - therapy; Rituximab; Time Factors; Treatment Outcome; Human; Antineoplastic agent; Thrombocytopenia; lower dose rituximab; Hematology; immune thrombocytopenia; Rituximab; Hemopathy; B-Lymphocyte; Monoclonal antibody; Platelet; B-cell depletion; Depletion; Treatment; Immunotherapy; Adult; Immune thrombocytopenic purpura; Dose
• ISSN: 0390-6078; 1592-8721
• DOI: 10.3324/haematol.12206

1 Clinica Ematologica, DIRM, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria, Udine; 2 Clinica Ematologica, Policlinico Le Scotte, Siena; 3 Divisione di Ematologia, AORN "A. Cardarelli", Napoli; 4 Dipartimento di Farmacologia, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo, Pavia; 5 Istituto di Ematologia ed Oncologia Medica L. ed A. Seragnoli, Bologna and 6 Cattedra di Statistica, DIRM, Università di Udine, Italy Correspondence: Francesco Zaja, M.D., Clinica Ematologica, Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria, piazza S. Maria della Misericordia, 33100 Udine, Italy. E-mail: zaja.francesco{at}aoud.sanita.fvg.it ABSTRACT Rituximab 375 mg/m 2 weekly for four weeks has significant activity in patients with immune thrombocytopenia. We evaluated the activity of lower dose rituximab (100 mg iv weekly for 4 weeks) in 28 adults with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. Overall (platelet count > 50 x 10 9 /L) and complete responses (platelet count > 100 x 10 9 /L) were achieved in 21/28 (75%) and 12/28 (43%) patients respectively. The median time to response and time to complete response were 31 and 44 days respectively. After a median follow-up of 11 months (range 3–18), 7/21 (33%) patients relapsed and 3 needed further treatments. In patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, lower dose rituximab seems to show similar activity to standard dose. Key words: immune thrombocytopenia, B-cell depletion, lower dose rituximab.