title: Predictive factors of response to splenectomy in adult chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura.
abstract: A total of 26 surgical patients with chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) were reviewed and results of splenectomy were statistically related to age and sex, length of and response to pre-operative corticosteroid therapy, pre-operative platelet count and time interval between diagnosis and surgery. Median age was 37 years (range, 17-81 years) and the male:female ratio was 1.16. Pre-operative platelet count ranged from 2-70 x 10(9)/l. The length of pre-surgical corticosteroid therapy (prednisone 1-2 mg/kg/day) varied from 2 weeks to 3 years. Steroid therapy was unsuccessful in 15 patients and only achieved temporary remission in the remaining 11 cases. The time interval between diagnosis and splenectomy ranged from 4-60 months. There were 21 responders (80.4%) and 5 non-responders (19.6%) to splenectomy. Using the chi-square test, differences in age, length and response to pre-operative steroid therapy and diagnosis-to-splenectomy interval did not achieve statistical significance when responder and non-responder groups to splenectomy were compared. Conversely, a significant difference was found comparing male to female groups, since 92.9% of males and only 66.7% of females were successfully treated by surgery (P approximately 0.01). In addition, patients with a pre-operative platelet count less than 30 x 10(9)/l responded at an higher rate (100% versus 70.6%; P approximately 0.05) to splenectomy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Catania, Italy. rvecchio@mbox.unict.it
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vecchio
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cacciola
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Cacciola
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Palazzo
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rinzivillo
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Giustolisi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010976:Platelet Count; D011241:Prednisone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016553:Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic / Q000601:surgery*; D012737:Sex Factors; D013156:Splenectomy; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D011241:Prednisone