Eltrombopag in the Treatment of Immune Thrombocytopenia: Two-Center Experience from Istanbul

Abstract

Immune Thrombocytopenia (ITP) is a disease caused by autoantibodies forming against platelets and T cell dysregulation and is characterized by platelet count falling below 100 x 10(9)/L. Corticosteroids remain as the first-line of treatment, but in the light of recent developments, thrombopoietin receptor agonists are gradually replacing splenectomy in steroid-dependent or refractory patients. In this study, it was aimed to retrospectively evaluate the efficacy, safety and side-effect profile of eltrombopag treatment for chronic ITP. A total of 23 chronic ITP patients treated with eltrombopag from two health institutions in Istanbul were evaluated retrospectively. Overall response rate (partial or complete) was 87%, complete response rate was 78.3%, and the median time from treatment until reaching platelet counts above 50 x 10(9)/L was 14 days (min-max: 4-126). Treatment was discontinued in four patients due to persistent response, two of these were still fully responsive. During treatment, one patient developed basal cell carcinoma, and another developed chronic myelomonocytic leukemia. Although its long-term side effects are not yet known, eltrombopag is a very effective treatment option in ITP and may provide favorable outcomes in patients.