Cytotoxic antibody complicating platelet support in acute leukemia. Response to chemotherapy

JAMA
|August 30, 1976
PubMed

Lymphocytotoxic or thrombocytolytic antibodies were detected in 11 of 25 thrombocytopenic patients receiving repeated platelet transfusions. Platelet survival times were reduced in these patients (half-life [T/2], 32 hours) as compared to patients without antibody (T/2, 51 hours, P less than .05). In one woman with acute myeloblastic leukemia and a potent platelet antibody, combination chemotherapy resulted in a profound decrease in circulating gamma-globulin and concurrent disappearance of the cytotoxic antibody. The survival of transfused platelets in this patient was dramatically improved, and bleeding was controlled.