The following is a summary of “Efficacy and safety of eltrombopag in treating TKI-induced thrombocytopenia in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia,” published in the August 2023 issue of Hematology by Liu et al.
In chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients on tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy, thrombocytopenia is a frequent hematological issue, posing a risk of life-threatening bleeding.
Researchers conducted a retrospective study using eltrombopag, a non-peptide thrombopoietin receptor agonist employed in treating immune thrombocytopenia, aplastic anemia, and hepatitis C-associated thrombocytopenia. They analyzed clinical and test data from 21 CML patients experiencing TKI-related thrombocytopenia.
The results showed that in 21 CML patients, the median baseline thrombocytopenia value stood at 15.57 × 109/L [2–28 × 109/L]. With eltrombopag treatment, 16 patients experienced noteworthy platelet level increases. Effective responders displayed a peak median increase of 145.12 × 109/L (51–460 × 109/L). However, eltrombopag didn’t yield positive responses in 5 patients. Additionally, 4/21 patients encountered adverse reactions, encompassing reversible liver function impairment, palpitations, headaches, insomnia, and reduced appetite. Encouragingly, no disease progression, thrombotic events, or myelofibrosis were observed.
Investigators concluded that as an adjunctive therapy, eltrombopag could be a valuable option for alleviating thrombocytopenia induced by TKIs in individuals with CML.
Source: tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/16078454.2023.2248434
