title: Possibilities and limits of treatment in patients with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura.
abstract: Results of treatment of 18 patients fulfilling the criteria for TTP are presented. Thrombocytopenia was present in all patients (100%). Sixteen of the 18 patients (88.8%) had mental status changes, and seven of the 18 patients (38.8%) had renal impairment. One patient had a secondary type of TTP, caused by non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the large intestine (that was diagnosed later) and was excluded from the study. Immunosuppresive therapy with steroids, plasma exchange and replacement of removed volume with fresh frozen plasma in a dosage of 25 ml/kg body weight resulted in a statistically significant increase of platelet count (P = 0.00222), and a significant improvement in consciousness defined by increased GCS after 2 weeks (P = 0.00222). In two patients renal function recovered, and in one of them hemodialysis was no longer needed. This improvement in a small group of patients had no statistical significance. TTP recurred in seven patients. High doses of steroids caused serious side effects in two patients: in one patient, steroid diabetes, and in the other one, intestinal perforation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency and Intensive Care Medicine, University Hospital Rebro, Zagreb, Croatia. vgasparo@altavista.net
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gasparović
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Radonić
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mejić
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Pisl
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Radman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007416:Intestinal Perforation / Q000139:chemically induced; D007922:Leptospirosis / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010951:Plasma Exchange; D011697:Purpura, Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic / Q000382:microbiology / Q000628:therapy*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D005938:Glucocorticoids; D008775:Methylprednisolone