title: Dapsone in treatment of chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura in adults.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  When a patient is steroid-dependant, a currently available strategy in chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is to follow a trial and error approach with any of the known drugs which has been found effective in the condition.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the response of chronic ITP to dapsone, an inexpensive drug now reported to be effective in the disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  A controlled trial of abstinence and rechallenge type.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eight subjects with chronic ITP.
  
  
  METHODS
  Phase I - Intake of 100 mg of dapsone daily until response (in form of rise of platelet count in blood), Phase II - Above followed by drug abstinence, minimum for four weeks, and then rechallenge with the drug.
  
  
  METHODS
  Platelet counts during various phases viz during drug intake, withdrawal and rechallenge.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four (50%) patients responded to treatment. The mean pre-dapsone and post-dapsone platelet counts of blood were 29.6 x 10(9)/l and 142.5 x 10(9)/l respectively during the first phase of trial. The rechallenge was done in five patients following withdrawal of drug and the mean values of platelet count before and after rechallenge were 32.2 x 10(9)/l and 83 x 10(9)/l respectively. There was a remarkable response in two patients; one is now off the drug and the other on a maintenance dose of 50 mg of dapsone daily.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dapsone caused significant rise of platelet count in some patients of chronic ITP. It can be tried as an alternative to other second-line drugs in chronic ITP.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Pondicherry, India.
authors.forename: T K
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Dutta
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Goel
authors.forename: L H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Ghotekar
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hamide
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Badhe
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Basu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003622:Dapsone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007293:Inosine Triphosphate; D008297:Male; D011696:Purpura, Thrombocytopenic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D007293:Inosine Triphosphate; D003622:Dapsone