How low can you go? Danazol 50 mg/day is beneficial in lIP

Danazol is used successfully to treat idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) in doses of 400-800 mg/day, but to minimise adverse effects and cost, a low dose regimen of 50 mg/day was tried out in 15 patients.

After I and 3 months of therapy the percentages of CD3 and CD4 lymphocytes were significantly increased, and responses to a T cell dependent B cell mitogen were also increased during therapy. However there was no change in the percentage of B (CD 19) lymphocytes or in response to Staph A, a polyclonal B cell mitogen. In terms of platelet counts there were 7 excellent-good responders and 8 fair-poor responders, and those showing excellent-good responses had a more stable CD4 subset than the fair-poor responders.

'Wlult is strikill, is tlu beujicial use of very 10K' dose of dalla:,ol ill this study alld its selective effect 011 the T but 1I0t the B lymphocytes.' Mylvaganaman R. Garcia RO. Kim CI. Harrington WJ. Very low dose danazol in idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura and its role as an immune modulator. American Journal of the Medical Sciences 298: 215-220. Oct 1989 ""

9 INPHARMA~ J Feb 1990