C. Borgnapignatti et al., TREATMENT OF CHRONIC CHILDHOOD IMMUNE THROMBOCYTOPENIC PURPURA WITH INTRAMUSCULAR ANTI-D IMMUNOGLOBULINS, British Journal of Haematology, 88(3), 1994, pp. 618-620
Seven patients with chronic immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) were
treated with intramuscular anti-D (anti-D IgG) five times, on an alte
rnate-day basis, or until a platelet count of 100 x 10(9)/l was achiev
ed and subsequently, when necessary to maintain platelet counts above
50 x 10(9)/l. Five patients responded to therapy, two of whom entered
long-term remission. although signs of haemolysis were present in all
patients, anaemia was never a problem. No patient developed haematomas
at the site of injection. We suggest that intramuscular anti-D repres
ents a safe and relatively inexpensive alternative to intravenous gamm
a globulins (IVGG) for children with severe chronic ITP.