Essential thrombocythemia : clinical features, therapy and follow-up of 12 cases

The authors analyzed twelve patients with symptomatic essential thrombocythemia (E.T.) diagnosed from 1983 to 1991. Haemorrhagic and thrombotic phenomena were the main presenting features. Treatment consisted mostly of alpha-interferon (IFN-alpha 2b) subcutaneously in dosage ranging from 3 to 5 MU/m 2 and hydroxyurea (HU) in conventional dosage. A clinical response was seen in seven patients treated with IFN-alpha 2b (4 CR and 2 PR), and in four patients treated with HU (3 CR and 1 PR)