OBJECTIVETo evaluate the efficacy and safety of thrombopoietin (TPO) on platelet engraftment in hematological malignancies patients after allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT).

METHODSOne hundred and twenty patients were enrolled in a multicenter, open-label, randomized, controlled clinical trial, and were randomized into 4 treatment groups following allo-HSCT. Group A was the control arm without TPO, while group B, C and D were trial arms with received 300 U×kg(-1)×d(-1) of TPO starting from day +1, +4 and +7, respectively. A total of 89 cases were evaluated, of which 22 cases in group A, 23 in group B, 20 in group C and 24 in group D. Efficacy evaluation (the time of platelet engraftment, the number of platelet transfusion) and safety evaluation \[adverse events, routine blood tests, liver and renal function, coagulation function and occurrence of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD)\] were observed.

RESULTSThe median platelet engraftment time in experimental groups (groups B, C and D) were on day (13.17 ± 2.89), day (12.15 ± 2.08), day (12.33 ± 1.76), respectively, and that in control group was on day (14.82 ± 5.05). There was statistically significant difference between two groups (P = 0.029), There were no statistically significant difference in the average amount of platelet transfusion, platelet engraftment time, and platelet nadir value among the 3 experimental groups. No significant adverse events were observed in experimental groups.

CONCLUSIONSTPO administration following allo-HSCT for patients with hematologic malignancies appears to shorten platelet engraftment time. TPO given starting from day +7 is effective and safe.