A FAVORABLE EFFECT OF LONG-TERM ALPHA-INTERFERON THERAPY IN REFRACTORY IDIOPATHIC THROMBOCYTOPENIC PURPURA

We successfully treated two patients with refractory idiopathic thromb ocytopenic purpura (ITP) with a weekly or monthly administration of al pha-interferon followed by short-course treatment with alpha-interfero n. in both cases an increase in platelet count was brought about withi n 1 week after administration of alpha-interferon and the favourable r esponse in platelet count was sustained over a few years with the week ly or monthly administration of alpha-interferon in the absence of any noticeable side-effects except for fever. So, alpha-interferon therap y seems to be beneficial in some cases of refractory ITP in terms of b oth remission induction and maintenance therapy.