Patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) are prone to developing autoimmune cytopenias (AICs). The second most common form of AIC is immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), which results in low levels of platelets necessary for coagulation.
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“Our case illustrates how TPO mimetic drugs can be safely administered over long periods of time, helping to keep platelet counts above life-threatening levels and preserving the immune system because they are non-immunosuppressive drugs,” write the investigators.
The study reports on a 69-year-old male patient with CLL-associated ITP and a history chronic auricular fibrillation who was hospitalized with signs of congestive heart failure. Anticoagulant therapy was suggested to mitigate thromboembolic risk, but the patient's platelet count was too low (<50 × 109/L) due to ITP.
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The authors conclude, “The possibility of administering TPO mimetic drugs in severely thrombocytopenic patients who need to initiate or maintain an anticoagulant therapy is of great interest. Our clinical experience demonstrates its feasibility in patients with ITP associated with CLL.
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