title: Platelet kinetics in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), with special reference to corticosteroid and azathioprine therapy.
abstract: Duplicate platelet survival studies were carried out on 10 patients with SLE. At the time of the first study 5 of them (group I) were untreated and the remaining 5 (group II) were receiving corticosteroid (CS) therapy. The second study was performed while group I patients received CS and group II patients CS + azathioprine (AT) treatment. Untreated SLE patients were shown to have normal values for platelet mean life-span (MLS) and platelet production rate. CS and AT treatment did not affect either platelet MLS or platelet production rate. The present study also provides further evidence that a state of compensated thrombocytolysis is not present in SLE.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001379:Azathioprine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000502:physiology*; D002470:Cell Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010976:Platelet Count; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D011239:Prednisolone; D001379:Azathioprine