Should Rituximab Have a Role in Treating Patients with Primary Immune Thrombocytopenia?

Treatment of patients with primary immune thrombocytopenia (ITP; formerly known as idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura) has gradually evolved but remains unsatisfactory for a significant portion of patients. Beyond standard first-line treatment with corticosteroids, other therapies such as intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) and immunosuppressants have been used to help delay salvage therapy with splenectomy (which is not always curative). Rituximab, a monoclonal antibody to CD20 on B cells, has been used as second-line treatment to raise and maintain platelet counts in patients with chronic ITP who received prior unsuccessful medical therapy (JW Oncol Hematol Sep 23 2008). Recently, investigators in Italy conducted an open-label, manufacture…