Comparison of eltrombopag and avatrombopag in the treatment of refractory/relapsed aplastic anemia: a single-center retrospective study in China.

BACKGROUND

Eltrombopag (ELT), a thrombopoietin receptor agonist (TPO-RA), has been approved for relapsed/refractory aplastic anemia (AA). However, data on avatrombopag (AVA), another TPO-RA, are limited, and the comparisons between the two TPO-RAs are lacking.

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to compare the efficacy and safety between ELT and AVA in relapsed/refractory AA patients.

DESIGN

In this retrospective study, patients with relapsed/refractory AA who had been treated with ELT (N = 45) or AVA (N = 30) alone and had compatible baseline hematological parameters were compared.

METHODS

Data from patients diagnosed with acquired AA were retrospectively collected. All patients were refractory/relapsed to standard immunosuppressive therapy (IST) for at least 6 months before ELT or AVA. Patients had to be treated with ELT or AVA alone for at least 6 months before evaluation if they did not respond. Baseline characteristics, overall response (OR), complete response (CR), relapse, adverse events, and factors that may affect efficacy were analyzed.

RESULTS

Of the 75 patients enrolled, 45 received ELT and 30 received AVA. Patients with AVA had a higher percentage of abnormal liver or renal function than those with ELT (p = 0.036). No significant difference was found in the OR/CR rate in the first/second/third/sixth month between the two cohorts (p > 0.05). Patients treated with AVA had a shorter median time to response than those treated with ELT (p = 0.012) and had a higher platelet level in the second month (p = 0.041). AVA had fewer adverse events than ELT (p = 0.046). Under compatible follow-up time (p = 0.463), no difference was found between the ELT and AVA cohorts in relapse (p = 1.000) or clone evolution (p = 0.637). No predictive factors for OR and CR in the sixth month were found for either ELT or AVA.

CONCLUSION

With worse liver or renal function, AVA had a similar OR/CR rate but a shorter median time to response and fewer adverse events for patients with relapsed/refractory AA.