Thrombopoietin receptor agonists and rituximab for treatment of pediatric immune thrombocytopenia: A systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective clinical trials.

Children with immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) may require second-line ITP therapies. The high remission rate in pediatric patients, need for extended-duration use of thrombopoietin receptor agonists (TPO-RAs), drug adherence, potential side effects, monitoring, and cost effectiveness are factors that should be considered in decision-making about second-line therapies. Rituximab (RTX) has been used off-label for years to treat ITP but there are limited studies about its efficacy and safety in children. To date, no studies have directly compared TPO-RAs with RTX for the treatment of childhood ITP. This systematic review analyzed the overall platelet response, durability of treatment effect, and safety for RTX use in comparison to TPO-RAs in pediatric ITP. MEDLINE/PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases were searched through December 2020 and meta-analysis was conducted using proportions of success/failure for each intervention in the selected studies. The proportion of participants achieving the primary endpoint of a platelet response above 50,000 was similar for TPO-RAs (proportion = 0.71, 95% CI: 0.63-0.78) and RTX (proportion = 0.68, 95% CI: 0.53-0.82). However, considerable variation was found between the two groups with regards to the sustainability of the response and other secondary outcomes such as need for rescue and adverse events. RTX was associated with higher rates of rescue therapy. In this analysis of prospective pediatric ITP studies, RTX and TPO-RAs had similar rates of overall platelet response but differed in other important measures. Prospective comparative studies are needed to better characterize second-line treatments for pediatric ITP.

Ayad N ，Grace RF ，Al-Samkari H 《-》

Thrombopoietin Receptor Agonists in Children with Immune Thrombocytopenia: A New Therapeutic Era.

Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is a common bleeding disorder in childhood. The management of ITP in children is controversial, requiring personalized assessment of patients and therapeutic choices. Thrombopoietin receptor agonists (TPO-RAs), eltrombopag and romiplostim, have been shown to be safe and effective for the treatment of pediatric ITP. The aim of our research is to define the role of thrombopoietin receptor agonists in the management of pediatric ITP. This review focuses on the use of TPO-RAs in pediatric ITP, in randomized trials and in clinical routine, highlighting their key role in the management of the disease. Eltrombopag and romiplostim appear effective treatment options for children with ITP. Several clinical studies have assessed that the use of TPO-RAs increases platelet count, decreases bleeding symptoms and improves health-related quality of life. Moreover, TPO-RAs are well tolerated with minor side effects. Although long term efficacy and safety of TPO-RAs still require further investigations, their use is gradually expanding in the clinical practice of children with ITP.

Lassandro G ，Palladino V ，Vecchio GCD ，Palmieri VV ，Corallo PC ，Faienza MF ，Giordano P ... -  《-》

Thrombopoietin Receptor Agonist Use in Children: Data From the Pediatric ITP Consortium of North America ICON2 Study.

Data on second-line treatment options for pediatric patients with immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) are limited. Thrombopoietin receptor agonists (TPO-RA) provide a nonimmunosuppressive option for children who require an increased platelet count. We performed a multicenter retrospective study of pediatric ITP patients followed at ITP Consortium of North America (ICON) sites to characterize TPO-RA use. Seventy-nine children had a total of 87 treatments (28 eltrombopag, 43 romiplostim, and eight trialed on both). The majority had primary ITP (82%) and most (60.8%) had chronic ITP. However, 22% had persistent ITP and 18% had newly diagnosed ITP. During the first 3 months of treatment, 89% achieved a platelet count ≥ 50 × 10(9) /l (86% romiplostim, 81% eltrombopag, P = 0.26) at least once in the absence of rescue therapy. The average time to a response was 6.4 weeks for romiplostim and 7.0 weeks for eltrombopag (P = 0.83). Only 40% of patients demonstrated a stable response with consistent dosing over time. An intermittent response with constant dose titration was seen in 15%, and an initial response that waned to no response was seen in 13%. Significant adverse events were minimal with the exception of two patients with thrombotic events and one who developed a neutralizing antibody. Our results demonstrate that TPO-RA agents are being used in children with ITP of varying duration and severity. The response was similar to clinical trials, but the sustainability of response varied. Future studies need to focus on the ideal timing and rationale for these medications in pediatric patients.

Neunert C ，Despotovic J ，Haley K ，Lambert MP ，Nottage K ，Shimano K ，Bennett C ，Klaassen R ，Stine K ，Thompson A ，Pastore Y ，Brown T ，Forbes PW ，Grace RF ，Pediatric ITP Consortium of North America (ICON) ... -  《-》

TPO receptor agonist for chronic idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura.

Zeng Y ，Duan X ，Xu J ，Ni X ... -  《Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews》

Thrombopoietin-receptor agonists for children with immune thrombocytopenia: a systematic review.

Zhang J ，Liang Y ，Ai Y ，Xie J ，Li Y ，Zheng W ... -  《-》