PROLONGED REMISSION INDUCED BY CYCLOSPORINE IN A PATIENT WITH FAMILIAL THROMBOCYTOPENIA AND ENTEROPATHY

A 21-year-old patient, since the age of 16, presented a familial type of chronic autoimmune thrombocytopenia that responded only partially t o various types of immunosuppressive treatment. His prolonged survival , compared to his deceased siblings, was complicated by the appearance of a severe enteropathy. High doses of corticosteroids induced a type 1 diabetes as a major side effect. The introduction of cyclosporine r esulted in both a continuous complete clinical remission and a partial hematological remission and allowed the discontinuation of all other medication for 18 months. In uncommon complex autoimmune disease, cycl osporine may represent a safe and effective alternate therapy when oth er immunosuppressive agents have failed.