The Efficacy of Dexamethasone Versus Dexamethasone Combined With Rituximab in Patients With Newly Diagnosed Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP)

In this study we want to investigate if combination therapy with rituximab (R) + dexamethasone (DXM) is superior to monotherapy with DXM in patients with newly diagnosed idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). Before treatment molecular studies - gene expression profiling - are performed to characterize at the molecular level those patients responding adequately to the treatment as compared to those obtaining a minor or no responses. The hypothesis is that combination therapy is superior to monotherapy as defined above. Using gene expression studies up-front the hypothesis is that this method may be able to predict the response to treatment.