title: Long-term follow-up analysis after rituximab therapy in children with refractory symptomatic ITP: identification of factors predictive of a sustained response.
abstract: We report the long-term follow-up (median 39.5 months) of 49 paediatric patients (33 females and 16 males) with refractory symptomatic immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) treated with rituximab. The overall response rate was 69% (34/49 patients). Twenty-one responders had a platelet count >50 x 10(9)/l at a median 20.2 months from treatment. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed a probability of relapse-free survival (RFS) of 60% at 36 months from the first rituximab infusion. The number of infusions and a previous splenectomy did not influence overall response rate. Patients who achieved complete response were significantly older at diagnosis and first rituximab infusion than partial responders (P = 0.027). Older children displayed a significantly greater probability of sustained response (RFS) at 36 months than younger children (88.9% vs. 56.7%, P = 0.037). Earlier responses (within 20 d from treatment) were significantly associated with both complete (P = 0.004) and sustained response (P = 0.002). Only mild and transient side-effects were observed in 9/49 children; no major infections nor delayed toxicities were recorded during the follow-up.
authors.affiliation: Paediatric Department of University of Torino, Torino, Italy.
authors.forename: Emilia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Parodi
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rivetti
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Amendola
authors.forename: Gianni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bisogno
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Calabrese
authors.forename: Piero
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Farruggia
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Giordano
authors.forename: Sofia Maria Rosaria
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Matarese
authors.forename: Margherita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nardi
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nobili
authors.forename: Lucia D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Notarangelo
authors.forename: Giovanna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Russo
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Vimercati
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zecca
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: De Mattia
authors.forename: Ugo
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Ramenghi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D010976:Platelet Count; D011379:Prognosis; D016553:Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012008:Recurrence; D000069283:Rituximab; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D000069283:Rituximab