Higher initial romiplostim dose appears to shorten time to platelet response and hospital length of stay, researchers concluded after conducting a retrospective, single-center, cohort study involving 18 individuals. Participants were hospitalized with corticosteroid- and intravenous immunoglobulin-refractory immune thrombocytopenia. They received initial romiplostim dose of either 1 mcg/kg/week (n=4) or ≥2 mcg/kg/week (n=18). Among the results:

• Patients in the higher dose group received a median dose of 4.5 mcg/kg/week.
• Platelets reached ≥10 × 109/L in a median of 2 days in this contingent, vs 4.5 days in the lower-dose group.
• 43% of patients in the higher-dose group reached platelet ≥30 × 109/L, vs one-fourth of those in the lower-dose cohort.
• Platelet ≥50 × 109/L was achieved in 28% and 25%, respectively.
• Median hospital lengths of stay were 13.5 and 20 days, respectively.
• Nonmajor bleeding events occurred in 29% and 75%, respectively.
• Major bleeding events occurred in 14% and 0%, respectively.
• No thrombotic events were seen.