ObjectiveTo observe the clinical efficacy of combined immunosuppressant therapy for patients with chronic refractory immune thrombocytopenia purpura (ITP) and its effects on platelete-associated antibody (PAIG) level. MethodsBetween February 2009 and February 2013, 22 patients with refractory ITP were randomly divided into immunosuppressive drugs combination treatment group and single drug treatment group. The combination treatment group was treated with methylprednisolone and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), and after the fast increasing of platelet count, combined chemotherapy consisting of two or three kinds of immunosuppressive agents was adopted. The single treatment group was also treated with methylprednisolone and IVIG, but took only one immunosuppressive agent after the fast increasing of platelet count. The treatment maintained for 3 to 6 months. The duration of follow-up was 6-36 months. We used flow cytometry to detect PAIG of the patients. ResultsThe total effective rate of combination treatment group was 81.8%, significantly higher than that of the single treatment group (36.4%) (P<0.05). PAIG decreased obviously in both the two groups, and the PAIG level of the combination treatment group was much lower than that of the single treatment group (P<0.05). ConclusionImmunosuppresant combination chemotherapy is a powerful approach for patients with refractory ITP, and it can decrease patient's PAIG level simultaneously.
Objective To investigate the expression and clinical significance of T lymphocyte subsets, natural killer (NK) cells and CD19+ B cells in the elderly with primary immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) before and after treatment. Methods The elderly ITP patients diagnosed and treated in the Songjiang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine (preparatory stage) between January 2014 and June 2019 were retrospectively selected as the observation group. The healthy elderly in the same period were selected as the control group. According to the treatment, the observation group was divided into effective group and ineffective group. The expression levels of T lymphocyte subsets (CD3+, CD4+, CD8+ and CD4+/CD8+), NK cells and CD19+ B cells were observed and analyzed. Results A total of 75 subjects were included, including 35 in the observation group and 40 in the control group. The total effective rate was 85.71% (30/35). Before treatment, the expression levels of T lymphocyte subsets (CD3+, CD4+ and CD4+/CD8+) in the observation group were lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in other indexes between the two groups (P>0.05). After treatment, except for CD8+, the expression levels of T lymphocyte subsets (CD3+, CD4+ and CD4+/CD8+) in the observation group were higher than those before treatment (P<0.05). The expression levels of NK cells and CD19+ B cells were lower than those before treatment (P<0.05). The expression levels of T lymphocyte subsets (CD3+, CD4+ and CD4+/CD8+) in the effective group were higher than those before treatment (P<0.05), while the expression level of CD19+ B cells was lower than that before treatment (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in other indexes before and after treatment (P>0.05). There was no significant difference in the expression levels of T lymphocyte subsets (CD3+, CD4+, CD8+ and CD4+/CD8+), NK cells and CD19+ B cells in the ineffective group before and after treatment (P>0.05). Conclusions T lymphocyte subsets are abnormal in elderly ITP patients. The immune abnormality of T lymphocyte may be one of the reasons for elderly patients with ITP. With the improvement of therapeutic effect, immune cell subsets have also been improved.