Treatment of a patient with chronic immune thrombocytopenic purpura with rituximab and monitoring by flow cytometric analysis.
Treatment modalities of patients with chronic immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) include the administration of intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIG), corticosteroids, anti-D(Rh) immunoglobulin (anti-D), and splenectomy. Approximately 25-30% of patients with chronic ITP do not respond to established therapeutic regimens. We describe a 19-year-old patient with chronic ITP refractory to standard therapies treated with rituximab (anti-CD20 antibody). Initially, the therapy with rituximab appeared to be successful; however, the patient relapsed after a surveillance of 57 weeks documenting that the rituximab therapy has failed. Flow cytometric analyses during and after the administration of rituximab revealed new aspects of monitoring rituximab therapy.
Thude
Hansjörg
H
Institute for Transfusion Medicine, University Jena, Jena, Germany. Hansjoerg.Thude@med.uni-jena.de
Gruhn
Bernd
B
Werner
Uta
U
Schorner
Uta
U
Häfer
Ralf
R
Zintl
Felix
F
Barz
Dagmar
D
D000328:Adult; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D016903:Drug Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D010976:Platelet Count; D016553:Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012008:Recurrence; D000069283:Rituximab; D017211:Treatment Failure
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D000069283:Rituximab