The outcome of romiplostim for secondary failure of platelet recovery (SFPR) was investigated in children who had undergone hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Seven transfusion-dependent pediatric patients (median age 11 years), with platelet counts below 10 × 10(9)/L, received four weekly doses of subcutaneous romiplostim to treat SFPR developed after HSCT. All patients, except one (patient 4), became platelet transfusion-independent in the second week from the beginning of treatment and no patient needed to discontinue drug treatment because of adverse events. Romiplostim could represent a beneficial first-line treatment, but further studies are required.
Keywords: Pediatric patients; Romiplostim; Secondary failure of platelet recovery; Virus infection.