title: Recombinant human thrombopoietin treatment promotes hematopoiesis recovery in patients with severe aplastic anemia receiving immunosuppressive therapy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effectiveness of recombinant human thrombopoietin (rhTPO) in severe aplastic anemia (SAA) patients receiving immunosuppressive therapy (IST).
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-eight SAA patients receiving IST from January 2007 to December 2012 were included in this retrospective analysis. Of these, 40 subjects received rhTPO treatment (15000 U, subcutaneously, three times a week). rhTPO treatment was discontinued when the platelet count returned to normal range. Hematologic response, bone marrow megakaryocyte recovery, and time to transfusion independence were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Hematologic response was achieved in 42.5%, 62.5%, and 67.5% of patients receiving rhTPO and 22.9%, 41.6%, and 47.9% of patients not receiving rhTPO at 3, 6, and 9 months after treatment, respectively (P = 0.0665, P = 0.0579, and P = 0.0847, resp.). Subjects receiving rhTPO presented an elevated number of megakaryocytes at 3, 6, and 9 months when compared with those without treatment (P = 0.025, P = 0.021, and P = 0.011, resp.). The time to platelet and red blood cell transfusion independence was shorter in patients who received rhTPO than in those without rhTPO treatment. Overall survival rate presented no differences between the two groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  rhTPO could improve hematologic response and promote bone marrow recovery in SAA patients receiving IST.
authors: Department of Hematology, General Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300052, China.
authors: Huaquan
authors: H
authors: Wang
authors: Department of Hematology, General Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300052, China.
authors: Qi'e
authors: Q
authors: Dong
authors: Department of Hematology, General Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300052, China.
authors: Rong
authors: R
authors: Fu
authors: Department of Hematology, General Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300052, China.
authors: Wen
authors: W
authors: Qu
authors: Department of Hematology, General Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300052, China.
authors: Erbao
authors: E
authors: Ruan
authors: Department of Hematology, General Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300052, China.
authors: Guojin
authors: G
authors: Wang
authors: Department of Hematology, General Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300052, China.
authors: Hong
authors: H
authors: Liu
authors: Department of Hematology, General Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300052, China.
authors: Yuhong
authors: Y
authors: Wu
authors: Department of Hematology, General Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300052, China.
authors: Jia
authors: J
authors: Song
authors: Department of Hematology, General Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300052, China.
authors: Limin
authors: L
authors: Xing
authors: Department of Hematology, General Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300052, China.
authors: Jing
authors: J
authors: Guan
authors: Department of Hematology, General Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300052, China.
authors: Lijuan
authors: L
authors: Li
authors: Department of Hematology, General Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300052, China.
authors: Zonghong
authors: Z
authors: Shao
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000741:Anemia, Aplastic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality*; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006410:Hematopoiesis / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010976:Platelet Count / Q000379:methods; D017713:Platelet Transfusion / Q000379:methods; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D013926:Thrombopoietin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D013926:Thrombopoietin