Essential thrombocythemia--clinical features, therapy and follow-up of 12 cases.
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.
Lopes
E
E
Clinical Hematology Department, Hospital S. Joao, Porto, Portugal.
Ribeiro
M M
MM
Silva
M J
MJ
Gandra
M
M
Principe
F
F
Granato
C
C
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*
D000077190:Interferon alpha-2; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D006918:Hydroxyurea