Treatment of methimazole-induced agranulocytosis using recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rhG-CSF)

The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism
H TamaiS Nagataki

Abstract

Agranulocytosis, although extremely infrequent, is a serious complication of antithyroidal drug therapy in patients with hyperthyroidism. Presently, there is no specific therapy for this life-threatening complication, and recovery time is highly variable. Recently, recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rhG-CSF) was reported to be effective in shortening the recovery time of the neutropenia in patients undergoing chemotherapy. The present study was undertaken to determine the efficacy of rhG-CSF administration in patients with methimazole-induced (MMI) agranulocytosis. Thirty-four patients (7 males and 27 females, ages 16-68 yr) with MMI agranulocytosis were divided into 3 groups: group A (n = 11) was treated with antibiotics only; group B (n = 11) received antibiotics and dexamethasone, 8 mg/day; and group C (n = 12) was treated with antibiotics and im injections of rhG-CSF, 75 micrograms/day. Patients in groups A and B were studied retrospectively. When rhG-CSF became available, patients in group C were studied prospectively. Bone marrow sternal punctures were performed in all group C patients who were then divided into 2 subgroups according to the granulocyte to erythrocyte count ratio (G:E). Group C1 (n = ...Continue Reading

Citations

Dec 2, 1995·BMJ : British Medical Journal·V Patel, J J Mukherjee
Jun 1, 1997·Postgraduate Medical Journal·D Monakier, S Shilo
Jul 14, 2016·Indian Journal of Hematology & Blood Transfusion : an Official Journal of Indian Society of Hematology and Blood Transfusion·Tania SarkerYaddanapudi Ravindranath

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