title: A clinical study of intravenous immunoglobulin therapy for childhood idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura.
abstract: Eight children with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, who responded poorly to the conventional therapy or who already had severe side-effects, were treated with high dose intravenous immunoglobulin. Six of the 8 patients already had chronic diseases (disease duration longer than 6 months) when they entered into this study. Six patients had elevated platelet counts greater than 30 x 10(9)/L (the responders) after immunoglobulin induction therapy (2 g/kg immunoglobulin), and the average peak platelet counts were 231 x 10(9)/L. Two short-term pretreated patients were cured, 2 patients were in a drug-free state (platelet counts ranging from 50 to 150 x 10(9)/L), but another 2 responders did not benefit from the maintenance immunoglobulin therapy (0.5 g/kg/dose). From our preliminary results, high dose intravenous immunoglobulin seemed effective in all short-term pretreated and some chronic cases. It is worth trying immunoglobulin therapy when conventional therapies are not satisfactory.
authors: D T
authors: DT
authors: Lin
authors: W L
authors: WL
authors: Hwu
authors: K H
authors: KH
authors: Lin
authors: K S
authors: KS
authors: Lin
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D007116:Immunization, Passive; D007136:Immunoglobulins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007223:Infant; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D010976:Platelet Count; D011696:Purpura, Thrombocytopenic / Q000097:blood / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D007136:Immunoglobulins