title: Effect of low-dose granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (LD-GM-CSF) on platelet transfusion-dependent thrombocytopenia.
abstract: Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) is a hematopoietic growth factor known to promote the proliferation and differentiation of precursors of granulocytes and monocytes. GM-CSF at standard doses (125-500 micrograms/m2) alleviates neutropenia secondary to cytotoxic chemotherapy, myelodysplastic syndromes, and aplastic anemia, but has minimal effect on anemia or thrombocytopenia. GM-CSF at doses < 30 micrograms/m2 has been reported to improve platelet counts in some patients exhibiting cytopenia related to hematologic disorders such as aplastic anemia and myelodysplastic syndrome. Low-dose GM-CSF (10-20 micrograms/m2) was evaluated in 20 patients with transfusion-dependent thrombocytopenia persisting after myeloablative cytotoxic chemotherapy or with disease-related cytopenia. Seven patients (35%) responded as defined by a reduction in the platelet transfusion requirements by at least 75%. Low-dose GM-CSF did not significantly increase neutrophil counts or decrease red blood cell transfusion requirements. These results indicate that low-dose GM-CSF has a thrombopoietic effect in about one-third of patients with platelet transfusion-dependent thrombocytopenia which has not been observed at higher doses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock 72205.
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Vesole
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jagannath
authors.forename: L D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Glenn
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Barlogie
mesh_terms: D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006410:Hematopoiesis / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D010976:Platelet Count / Q000187:drug effects; D017713:Platelet Transfusion; D013921:Thrombocytopenia / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor