title: Essential thrombocythemia--clinical features, therapy and follow-up of 12 cases.
abstract: The authors analyzed twelve patients with symptomatic essential throthrombocythemia (E.T.) diagnosed from 1983 to 1991. Haemorrhagic and thrombotic phenomena were the main presenting features. Treatment consisted mostly of alpha-interferon (IFN-alpha 2b) subcutaneously in dosage ranging from 3 to 5 MU/m2 and hydroxyurea (HU) in conventional dosage. A clinical response was seen in seven patients treated with IFN-alpha 2b (4 CR and 2 PR), and in four patients treated with HU (3 CR and 1 PR). No significant side effects were observed. Our findings indicate that IFN-alpha 2b offers a non-leukaemogenic and very promising therapeutic alternative for E.T.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Hematology Department, Hospital S. Joao, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lopes
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gandra
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Principe
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Granato
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006918:Hydroxyurea / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010976:Platelet Count; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012074:Remission Induction; D013920:Thrombocythemia, Essential / Q000097:blood / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D006918:Hydroxyurea