Background :
To reduce life-threatening complication of childhood acute immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), high-dose intravenous immnuoglobulin G (IVIG) therapy has been used since 1981 by Imbach, et al. Several methods of dose and
duration of IVIG therapy have been developed. But total doses were 2 g/㎏ in most of them. To reduce the total doses, we tried to use IVIG according to the patient's response. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of low-dose and short-term immunoglobulin therapy for childhood acute ITP according to individual clinical course.
Methods :
This study was conducted in 73 childhood acute ITP who was diagnosed at the Department of Pediatrics, Kyungpook National University Hospital from September, 1983 to August, 1993. Until June, 1985, IVIG (400㎎/㎏/day) was given for 5 days in 9 children regardless of the increment of platelet count, but after then IVIG was not given basically when the platelet count was increased above 100,000/㎣. The time to reach targeted platelet count and the rate of relapse and conversion to chronic ITP were evaluated.
Results :
The mean age was 5.5 years and male to female ratio was 1.4 : 1 and the median duration of follow up was 2.1 years. Among 47 cases who were followed up over 6 months, 13 cases (17.7%) were chronic. The mean days of IVIG therapy was
2.3 days. the mean platelet count was 15,770±13,730/㎣ at diagnosis. The paltelet count began to rise above 50,000/㎣ at 2.3 days, 100,000/㎣ at 2.8 days and 150,000/㎣ at 3.5 days of IVIG therapy. But the platelet count was not increased above 100,000/㎣ in 11 cases among those who were given over 4 days or more IVIG therapy. The relapse and the chronic ITP was less developed in rapid responders at the level of 50,000/㎣ than in slow responders (P<0.05).
Conclusion :
The short-term (less than 4 days) IVIG therapy is desirable for effect and cost in childhood acute ITP.

Keywords: Immune thrombocytopenic pur-pura, Childhood, Intravenous immnuoglobulin G, Low-dose, Short-term