[Plasma soluble interleukin-2 receptor level in patients with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura and its clinical significance].

To investigate contribution of soluble interleukin-2 receptor (SIL-2R) to the clinical progress of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), SIL-2R levels were measured in the plasma of 34 patients and 34 normal controls with double antibody sandwich ELISA. The cohort consisted of 12 patients with chronic ITP, 15 with acute ITP and 7 with ITP in remission. The results showed that the mean SIL-2R level of chronic ITP group was significantly higher than those of both the control and acute ITP group (P < 0.001 and P < 0.01, respectively). The SIL-2R level of 7 cases in remission, however, was not significantly different from that of normal controls. Furthermore, the plasma levels were dramatically lowered in patients responsive to VLAP regimen (vincristine, L-imidazole, antaisu and prednisone), and those were not evidently decreased in unresponsive patients. It was concluded that T cell activation may play a role in the development of ITP, and further, the level of plasma SIL-2R might predict the prognosis of ITP.