Romiplostim, low-dose rituximab and high-dose dexamethasone for newly diagnosed immune thrombocytopenia: A pilot study.

Abstract

Therapies such as corticosteroids, thrombopoietin receptor agonists and immunomodulators have been consistently under the spotlight in the search for a better treatment for immune thrombocytopenia (ITP). However, none of them has been widely embraced as a new standard. In this pilot study, we investigated feasibility, safety and preliminary efficacy of romiplostim, low-dose rituximab and high-dose dexamethasone for newly diagnosed ITP. We conducted a single-centre single-arm pilot. One-month treatment adherence was 100%. The 1-month overall response rate was 92.3%. Complete response occurred in 11 (84.6%) patients. Median duration of response was 4.13 monts (range 0.2-25). No serious adverse events presented.