Table 2.
Characteristics of Patients at Initiation of Select Second-Line Therapies
| Variable | Eltrombopag | Romiplostim | Rituximab | Splenectomy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total N | 31 | 49 | 84 | 21 |
| Age, years, median (IQR) | 53 (42, 65) | 55 (45, 67) | 54 (40, 70) | 55 (40, 69) |
| Male sex (%) | 42 | 47 | 37 | 38 |
| White race (%) | 71 | 69 | 61 | 71 |
| Bleeding Events (%) | ||||
| Any bleeding event | 68 | 65 | 58 | 57 |
| Intracranial hemorrhage | 0 | 4 | 1 | 10 |
| Gastrointestinal hemorrhage | 19 | 25 | 12 | 14 |
| Hematuria | 10 | 14 | 4 | 5 |
| Ecchymosis | 16 | 14 | 20 | 14 |
| Previous ITP Treatments (%) | ||||
| Oral steroids | 90 | 86 | 92 | 100 |
| IVIg | 45 | 22 | 21 | 43 |
| IV anti-D | 10 | 8 | 5 | 5 |
| Eltrombopag | – | 8 | 6 | 14 |
| Romiplostim | 32 | – | 6 | 29 |
| Rituximab | 45 | 35 | 6a | 38 |
| Splenectomy | 3 | 6 | 4 | – |
| IV steroids | 55 | 51 | 44 | 67 |
| Platelet transfusion | 3 | 8 | 2 | 5 |
| Platelet Measurements | ||||
| Lowest platelet count in 60 days prior (109/L), median (IQR) | 21 (8, 42) | 20 (9, 30) | 24 (10, 46) | 34 (21, 55) |
Note: aPrior use of rituximab among rituximab initiators occurred before ITP diagnosis.
Abbreviations: Anti-D, Rho(D) immune globulin; IQR, interquartile range; ITP, immune thrombocytopenia; IV, intravenous; IVIg, intravenous immunoglobulin.