PLASMA SOLUBLE INTERLEUKIN-2 RECEPTOR LEVELS IN PATIENTS WITH IDIOPATHIC THROMBOCYTOPENIC PURPURA

Soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) was measured in the plasma of 31 patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) and 22 norm al controls. When thrombocytopenia persisted longer than 6 months, the diagnosis of chronic ITP was made. Twenty patients had acute ITP, 11 patients had chronic ITP, and all patients received high-dose methylpr ednisolone (HDMP) (30 mg/kg/d for 3 days, 20 mg/kg/d for 4 days). The sIL-2R levels of the patients were determined before being giving HDMP and 14 days after the end of HDMP therapy. Platelet counts were deter mined before administration of HDMP, one day after the end of HDMP the rapy, and once every 28 days for 7 months thereafter. There was not a significant difference between the mean pre-treatment plasma slL-2R le vels of both acute and chronic ITP groups (P > 0.05), and these were h igher than that of the control group (P < 0.001). The mean post-treatm ent slL-2R level of the chronic ITP group was significantly higher tha n those of both the control and post-treatment acute ITP groups (P < 0 .001), There were negative correlations between the plasma slL-2R leve ls and platelet counts of both group patients in the pre-treatment per iod and between post-treatment slL-2R levels and platelet counts in ch ronic ITP group (P < 0.05). We think that there was a good correlation between prognosis of ITP and slL-2R levels after HDMP therapy, and pl atelet counts in patients with ITP are linked to slL-2R levels. (C) 19 98 Wiley-Liss, Inc.