ABSTRACT
Objective: To assess the efficacy of low-dose prednisolone in patients with ITP
Design: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial
Setting: Salmaniya Medical Complex, Kingdom of Bahrain
Method: A randomized controlled trial was conducted comparing the conventional-dose to a lowdose of prednisolone [0.25 mg/kg/day]. Forty-one patients with ITP were enrolled in the study; 21 patients were randomized to low-dose prednisolone [group I] and 20 patients received the conventional-dose [group II]
Result: The overall remission rate [OR] for both groups was 78.05%. There was no statistically significant difference between both groups in terms of group overall remission 17 [81%] versus 15 [75%], group complete remission 11 [52.4%] versus 10 [50%] or partial remission rate 6 [28.6%] versus 6 [25%]. In addition, failure rate, relapse rate, and splenectomy rate were similar and not statistically significant. Two [10%] patients developed complications related to steroids therapy, both were in group II, but were not statistically significant
Conclusion: Although the study had a small number of patients, it revealed that low-dose of prednisolone [0.25 mg/kg/day] is as effective as the conventional-dose [1 mg/kg/day] and probably, safer. Accordingly, we recommend the use of low-dose prednisolone as initial therapy for ITP rather than the high-dose