title: Response of Dapsone in Refractory Chronic Immune Thrombocytopenia.
abstract: This was a prospective study. A total number of 19 patients with chronic ITP with platelet count <50×10⁸/L, treated with dapsone at a dose of 100 mg/day for nine months and followed up to 12 months were included in this study. Among them 13 patients (76.5%) were responded well shortly to dapsone which persisted during Dapsone therapy. Response rate of Dapsone was declining after Dapsone therapy. Response persisted in 6 patients (35.3%) after stoppage of dapsone up to last follow up at 1 year. Mean platelets count during Dapsone therapy was 168.35×10⁸/L. Shorter duration of thrombocypenic patients were responded well. Except one all patients experienced mild to moderate anaemia. Mean fall of Haemoglobin was 1.4gm/dl during dapsone therapy observed which come back to normal shortly after stoppage of dapsone. Only 2 patients were suffered from moderate anaemia. Dapsone syndrome and methemoglobinamia caused permanent discontinuation of therapy in 2 patients (10.5%) which was revert back to normal shortly after stoppage of drug. This study demonstrates that dapsone is an effective, inexpensive and well tolerated treatment for chronic, refractory ITP.
authors.affiliation: Dr Mohammad Ali, Resident Physician (Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplant), Dhaka Medical College Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Islam
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Rahman
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Islam
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Anis
mesh_terms: D003622:Dapsone; D006801:Humans; D010976:Platelet Count; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016553:Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D003622:Dapsone