title: Efficacy of high-dose methylprednisolone as a first-line therapy in adult patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura.
abstract: Fifty-seven adult patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) were treated with either conventional-dose prednisolone (CDP) (1 mg/kg/d, 36 patients) or high-dose methylprednisolone (HDP) (30 mg/kg/d, 21 patients), as first-line treatment. Patients in the HDP arm responded more rapidly (4.7 v 8.4 d), with a higher response rate (80% v 52.7%), and without severe side-effects. One quarter of the patients (3/12) who were non-responsive to CDP achieved complete remission when they were treated with HDP. The findings suggest that HDP may be a more effective first-line treatment than CDP for adult ITP, and it may also be preferred for life-threatening cases of ITP. However, these results must be confirmed by a randomized study prior to any change in the current practice of employing CDP as first-line treatment for adult ITP.
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematology-Immunology, Marmara University, School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Alpdogan
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Budak-Alpdogan
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ratip
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Firatli-Tuglular
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tanriverdi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Karti
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bayik
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Akoglu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016553:Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D011239:Prednisolone; D008775:Methylprednisolone