title: [Clinical analysis of lower doses rituximab for children primary immune thrombocytopenia].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the efficacy and safety of lower doses rituximab(375 mg/m²×1) in primary children immune thrombocytopenia (ITP).
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty children [23 male and 27 female, the median age was 9.5 years (rage 3.5-17.0 years)]with persistent and chronic ITP were treated with lower doses rituximab from January 2009 to January 2013 in our hospital. Efficacy and side effects of lower doses rituximab was studied, and factors related to the outcomes were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among fifty patients, 17/50(34%) achieved a complete response (CR) and 15/50 (30%) patients got response (R). Patients with CR continued to maintain a platelet count above 50×10⁹/L at a median 12.3 (6-40) months. Patents with R continued to maintain a platelet count above 30×10⁹/L at a median 6 (2-12) months. The overall response (OR) in 3 and 6 months were 58% (29/50), 64% (32/50) respectively. Six patients have mild and transient side effects, including urticarial rash and fever, which were promptly resolved with appropriate therapy. Sex, age at diagnosis, interval from diagnosis to initial treatment with rituximab, platelet count at treatment and CD19+B cell count did not influence the overall response and complete response (P>0.05). Patients with anti-GPIIb/IIIa autoantibody had a better OR (P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Children with persistent and chronic ITP treated by lower doses rituximab had better therapeutic effects. Patients with anti-GPIIb/IIIa autoantibody had better response. Rituximab was well tolerated and no related serious side effects were recorded in the study.
authors.affiliation: Thrombosis and Hemostasis Center, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, CAMS & PUMC, Tianjin 300020, China.
authors.forename: Xiaofan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Thrombosis and Hemostasis Center, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, CAMS & PUMC, Tianjin 300020, China.
authors.forename: Yueting
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Thrombosis and Hemostasis Center, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, CAMS & PUMC, Tianjin 300020, China.
authors.forename: Yunfei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Thrombosis and Hemostasis Center, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, CAMS & PUMC, Tianjin 300020, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Thrombosis and Hemostasis Center, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, CAMS & PUMC, Tianjin 300020, China.
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Xue
authors.affiliation: Thrombosis and Hemostasis Center, Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, CAMS & PUMC, Tianjin 300020, China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Thrombosis and Hemostasis Center Institute of Hematology & Blood Diseases Hospital, CAMS & PUMC, Tianjin 300020, China.
authors.forename: Renchi
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D001323:Autoantibodies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010976:Platelet Count; D019039:Platelet Glycoprotein GPIIb-IIIa Complex; D016553:Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic; D012074:Remission Induction; D000069283:Rituximab; D013921:Thrombocytopenia
chemical_list: D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D001323:Autoantibodies; D019039:Platelet Glycoprotein GPIIb-IIIa Complex; D000069283:Rituximab