RESEARCH PAPER
Thrombocytopenia resistent to standard therapy in lupus patients – analysis of 3 cases and clinical statement
 
More details
Hide details
1
Department of Rheumatology and Rehabilitation, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poland
 
2
Division of Rheumatology and Osteoporosis Jozef Strus Hospital, Poznan, Poland
 
 
Corresponding author
Katarzyna Pawlak-Bus   

Department of Rheumatology and Rehabilitation, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poland
 
 
Ann Agric Environ Med. 2018;25(2):229-233
 
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
Hematologic disorders, including thrombocytopenia, are a common symptom of systemic lupus – Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). An important diagnostic and therapeutic issue is the severe and recurrent thrombocytopenia resistant to standard treatment. It requires extensive diagnostics and a multi-directional view on its causes beyond the autoimmune process. Currently, there is no single treatment regimen for these disorders. Corticosteroids (CS) are the first-line drugs, but their chronic use is a big problem, they are not always successful and often generate a number of complications, especially in moderate to high doses. In the case of thrombocytopenia associated with the activity of SLE, immunosuppressive therapy is the gold standard and may result in long-term remission of symptoms and clinical stabilization. The major problem is thrombocytopenia resulting from other causes, such as infection or medications. This study discusses severe recurrent thrombocytopenia on the basis of three clinical cases, analyzing both the various causes of disorders, and providing ways of management and treatment. Special attention is paid to the correlation of thrombocytopenia with the clinical and immunological activity of SLE. It seems that severe and refractory thrombocytopenia may be a critical point and largely determine the management and treatment possibilities of SLE.
 
REFERENCES (28)
1.
Tan EM, Cohen AS, Fries JF, et al. The 1982 revised criteria for the classification of systemic lupus erythematosus. Arthritis Rheum. 1982; 25(11): 1271–1277.
 
2.
Petri M, Orbai AM, Alarco’n GS et al. Derivation and Validation of the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics Classification Criteria for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. Arthritis Rheum. 2012; 64(8): 2677–2268.
 
3.
Hochberg MC. Updating the American College of Rheumatology revised criteria the classification of systemic lupus erythematosus. Arthritis Rheum. 1997; 40(9): 1725.
 
4.
Hepburn AL, Narat S, Mason J. The management of peripheral blood cytopenias in systemic lupus erythematosus. Oxford Rheumatol J. 2010; 49: 2243–2254.
 
5.
Bombardier C, Gladman DD, Urowitz MB, et al. Derivation of the SLEDAI. A disease activity index for lupus patients. The Committee on Prognosis Studies in SLE. Arthritis Rheum. 1992; 35: 630–640.
 
6.
Hay EM, Bacon PA, Gordon C, et al. The BILAG index: a reliable and valid instrument for measuring clinical disease activity in systemic lupus erythematosus. Q J Med. 1993; 86: 447–458.
 
7.
Michel M, Lee K, Piette JC, et al. Platelet autoantibodies and lupus- associated thrombocytopenia. Br J Heamatol. 2002; 119: 354–358.
 
8.
Nossent JC, Swaak AJ. Prevalence and significance of haematological abnormalities in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. Q J Med. 1990; 74: 319–330.
 
9.
Lipp E, von Felten A, Sax H, et al. Antibodies against platelet glycoproteins and antiphospholipid antibodies in autoimmune thrombocytopenia. Eur J Haematol. 1998; 60: 283–288.
 
10.
Mok CC, Lee KW, Ho CT, et al. A prospective study of survival and prognostic indicators of systemic lupus erythematosus in a southern Chinese population. Rheumatology 2000; 39: 399–406.
 
11.
Cervera R, Kamashta MA, Font J, et al. Morbidity and mortality is systemic lupus erythematosus during a 5-year period. A multicenter prospective study of 1000 patients. European Working Party on Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Medicine 1999; 78: 167–175.
 
12.
Khellaf M, Chabrol A, Mahevas M, et al. Hydroxychloroquine is a good second-line treatment for adults with immune thrombocytopenia and positive antinuclear antibodies. Am J Hematol. 2013; 89(2): 194–198.
 
13.
Leszczyński P, Pawlak-Bus K. New treatment strategy including biological agents in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. Pol Arch Med Wewn. 2013; 123(9): 482–490.
 
14.
Jacobs P, Wood L, Dent DM. Splenectomy and the thrombocytopenia of systemic lupus erythematosus. Ann Intern Med. 1986; 105: 971–972.
 
15.
Gruenberg JC, VanSlyck EJ, Abraham JP. Splenectomy in systemic lupus erythematosus. Am J Surg. 1988; 155: 391–394.
 
16.
Hall S, McCormick JL Jr, Greipp PR, et al. Splenectomy does not cure the thrombocytopenia of systemic lupus erythematosus. Ann Intern Med. 1985; 102: 325–328.
 
17.
Boumpas DT, Barez S, Klippel JH, et al. Intermittent cyclophosphamide for the treatment of autoimmune thrombocytopenia in systemic lupus erythematosus. Ann Intern Med. 1990; 112: 674–677.
 
18.
Maier WP, Gordon DS, Howard RF, et al. Intravenous immunoglobulin therapy in systemic lupus erythematosus – associated thrombocytopenia. Arthritis Rheum. 1990; 33: 1233–1239.
 
19.
Lehembre S, Macario-Barrel A, et al. Rituximab treatment for immune thrombocytopenia associated with systemic lupus erythematosus. Ann Dermatol Venereol. 2006; 133: 53–55.
 
20.
Ramos-Casals M, Brito-Zeron P, Munoz S, et al. A systematic review of the off-label use of biological therapies in systemic autoimmune diseases. Medicine. 2008; 87: 345–364.
 
21.
Traynor AE, Barr WG, Rosa RM, et al. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation for severe and refractory lupus. Analysis after five years and fifteen patients. Arthritis Rheum. 2002; 46: 2917–2923.
 
22.
Lisukova IA, Sizikova SA, Kulagin AD, et al. High-dose immunosuppression with autologous stem cell transplantation in severe refractory systemic lupus erythematosus. Lupus 2004; 13: 89–94.
 
23.
Bussel JB, Cheng G, Saelh MN, et al. Eltrombobag for treatment of chronic idiopatic thrombocytopenia purpura. N Engl J Med. 2007; 357: 2237–2247.
 
24.
Bussel JB, Kuter DJ, Pullarkat V, et al. Safety and efficacy of long-term treatment with romiplostim in thrombocytopenic patients with chronic ITP. Blood. 2009; 113: 2161–2171.
 
25.
Feinglass S, Deodhar A. Treatment of lupus- induced thrombocytopenia with recombinant human interleukin-11. Arthritis Rheum. 2001; 44: 170–175.
 
26.
Bashal F. Hematological Disorders in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Open Rheumatol J. 2013; 7: 87–95.
 
27.
Kumar D, Robert A, Roubey S. Use of Rituximab in the Antiphospholipid Syndrome. Curr Rheumatol Rep. 2010; 12: 40–44.
 
28.
Ruiz-Irastorza G, Olivares N, Ruiz-Arruzal I, et al. Predictors of major infections in systemic lupus erythematosus. Arthritis Res Ther. 2009; 11(4): R109.
 
eISSN:1898-2263
ISSN:1232-1966
Journals System - logo
Scroll to top