Cyclic immune thrombocytopenia responsive to thrombopoietic growth factor therapy

We report a patient with cyclic thrombocytopenia and antiplatelet antibodies, a variant of chronic immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), with a several year history of periodic fluctuation of the platelet count, megakaryocytic hyperplasia and high-titer anti-GPIb-specific antiplatelet antibodies. The patient was resistant to multiple forms of therapy but has responded to the thrombopoietic growth factor, pegylated recombinant human megakaryocyte growth and development factor (PEG-rHuMGDF). This case suggests that some patients with classic ITP may respond to thrombopoietic growth factors. (C) 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.