Severe infectious complications in a patient treated with rituximab for idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura.

摘要

Rituximab has been recently employed in the treatment of patients with refractory chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). Rarely, infectious complications due to rituximab treatment in chronic ITP are registered [1, 2], In a 39-year-old immunocompetent man, after treatment with Clopidogrel for an acute coronary syndrome, diagnosis of ITP [platelet count (Plt) 59x10~9/l] was established on April 2003. He did not receive any treatment for more than 1 year due to Plt>30x10~9/l. In January 2005, he presented a progressive reduction of Plt until 13x10~9/I and gingival bleeding; he started treatment with high-dose dexamethasone 40 mg p.o. pulsed for 4 days every 2 weeks , obtaining after three courses a partial response (Plt between 30 and 50X10~9).