Sirolimus for patients with connective tissue disease-related refractory thrombocytopenia: a single-arm, open-label clinical trial

Objectives. Connective tissue disease-related thrombocytopenia (CTD-TP) is a problematic disorder in clinical practice. Because the first-line therapy of glucocorticoid and/or immunosuppressants is not effective for refractory cases, alternative treatment approaches are urgently needed. The present study investigated the efficacy and safety of sirolimus in refractory CTD-TP patients. Methods. This single-centre, single-arm, phase II study enrolled 20 refractory CTD-TP patients between September 2017 and September 2018 (registered on ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03688191). Oral sirolimus administration was dose-adjusted to maintain a therapeutic range of 6-15 ng/ml for 6 months. The primary endpoints were partial and complete remission rates at 6 months. Results. Twelve (60%) patients achieved the primary end point with a 50% complete remission rate after 6 months. Among the 14 SLE patients, the overall response rate was 71.4%, with a complete remission rate of 64.3%. None of the primary Sjogren's syndrome cases responded to sirolimus. There was no significant difference in baseline clinical characteristics or lymphocyte subpopulations between responders and non-responders. No severe side effect was detected during the study. Conclusion. Sirolimus is an effective and safe treatment option for refractory CTD-TP patients.