Clinical course of children with immune thrombocytopenic purpura treated with intravenous immunoglobulin G or megadose methylprednisolone or observed without therapy

The authors compared the prognosis in 50 children with acute immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) who received intravenous immunoglobulin G (IVIG), megadose methylprednisolone (MDMP), or no therapy. Twenty-six children were observed with no therapy, 12 children received IVIG, and 12 children received MDMP The percentage of the patients whose platelet counts increased at a level of > 20 x 10(9)/L and > 50 x 10(9)/L at 3 days after starting therapy was significantly higher in both IVIG and MDMP groups than in the no therapy group (p <.01), but there was no significant difference at 10 and 30 day's after initiation between the 3 groups (p >.05 in each comparison). This result suggested that therapy does not increase the rate of recovery but shortens the duration of thrombocytopenia in the first days. Management decision in ITP is made on clinical condition rather than on platelet count and no treatment options is to be preferred even in the face of mucosal bleeding. If the patient has extensive bleeding and the decision is to treat, both IVIG and MDMP are equally effective in providing a safe platelet level early on.