Eltrombopag in patients with chronic immune thrombocytopenia in Asia-Pacific, Middle East, and Turkey: final analysis of CITE

Abstract

CITE was a prospective, noninterventional study in adult patients with chronic immune thrombocytopenia (cITP) treated with eltrombopag under routine clinical care in Asia-Pacific, Middle East, and Turkey. Data to assess eltrombopag usage, compliance, and outcomes were collected from May 2017 to December 2020. Platelet response was defined as platelet count ≥50×103/μL in the absence of rescue medications and splenectomy. Quality of life was evaluated using the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue (FACIT-F) questionnaire. Noncompliance was defined as the number of missed doses and number of days where the patient did not follow food instructions. A total of 231 patients were enrolled; the median (range) duration of eltrombopag treatment was 484.5 (1-642) days. Compliance to prescribed eltrombopag dose since last routine visit was high at ≥96.0%. Baseline median platelet count was 19.0×103/µL, which increased to ≥50×103/µL at month 2 and mostly fluctuated between 70×103/µL and 100×103/µL thereafter. Median time to first platelet response was 1.05 months (95% confidence interval: 0.92-1.28 months), and the median (interquartile range) maximum duration of platelet response was 193 (57-456) days. FACIT-F scores improved from mean (standard deviation) 34.4 (12.1) at baseline to 38.5 (9.1) at month 18. Adverse events occurred in 50.9% of patients (n=116), the most common being upper respiratory tract infection (8.3%) and headache (6.6%). These findings confirmed effectiveness of eltrombopag treatment in routine practice and reassured that real-world compliance to eltrombopag prescribed doses and dietary instructions in the Asia-Pacific, Middle East, and Turkey were in line with current recommendations.