THE EFFECT OF ABO AND RH BLOOD-TYPE ON THE RESPONSE TO INTRAVENOUS IMMUNE GLOBULIN (IVIG) IN CHILDREN WITH IMMUNE THROMBOCYTOPENIC PURPURA (ITP)

Purpose: Immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is a common childhood i llness characterized by thrombocytopenia secondary to shortened platel et survival. Medical therapy includes corticosteroids, intravenous imm une globulin (IVIG), and IV Rho (D) immunoglobulin (anti-D). Individua ls with Rh-negative blood generally do not respond to treatment with a nti-D, but little information is currently available regarding the pot ential relationship between blood type and response to IVIG. This stud y was designed to characterize the relationship between ABO and Rh blo od type and the response to IVIG in children and adolescents with newl y diagnosed ITP. Patients and Methods: A retrospective chart review wa s per formed for 52 children and adolescents with newly diagnosed ITP initially treated with MG by the Division of Pediatric Hematology-Onco logy at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Results: There were no significant differences in response rat e or clinical outcome by ABO blood group or Rh type in children with I TP who received IVIG monotherapy as their initial treatment. Conclusio ns: ABO blood group and Rh type do not appear to be prognostic factors when IVIG monotherapy is the initial treatment for childhood ITP.