1985 Volume 26 Issue 9 Pages 1496-1500
High-dose gamma glbulin was used in two patients with acute leukemia accompanied with thrombocytopenia resistant to platelet transfusions. The first case was a 52-year-old man with acute myeloblastic leukemia. After combination chemotherapy, platelets were decreased to 3,000/cmm. In spite of numerous platelet transfusions, platelets were not increased, and the antiplatelet antibody was detected. High-dose of gamma globulin (0.4 g/kg daily for 4 days) was administrated intravenously according to the method of Imbach et al. in the patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. Platelet counts rose more than 100,000/cmm during 7 days. The second case was 63-year-old woman with acute lymphoblastic leukemia associated with thrombocytopenia. She was treated with platelet transfusions, but she suffered chills with fever and failed to rise platelet counts. Chills and decreased platelet counts were improved after a high-dose gamma globulin treatment. Intravenous gamma globulin therapy may reduce platelet transfusion reactions and rise platelet counts in thrombocytopenia caused by alloantibody.
