Pegylated bovine carboxyhaemoglobin utilisation in a thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura patient.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if pegylated bovine carboxyhaemoglobin can be utilised in a thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) patient.

BACKGROUND: TTP is a condition characterized by thrombotic microangiopathy and has a high mortality rate when left untreated. Therapeutic plasma exchange is well established as the most effective and evidence-based treatment of TTP.

METHODS: The ability to administer plasma exchange therapy is limited in Jehovah's Witnesses who decline blood products due to religious beliefs. Pegylated bovine carboxyhaemoglobin is a novel oxygen transfer agent in development for the management of complications of ischaemia due to acute anaemia.

RESULTS: Treatment was well tolerated, with grade 1 paresthesia of the right face and arm 1 h after the first infusion of Sanguinate, which spontaneously resolved and did not recur, and grade 1 cardiac troponin elevation after receiving the medication (with peak at 0·079 ng mL-1 ), but further workup with electrocardiogram and echocardiogram was unremarkable. By discharge on day 19, the patient's haemoglobin increased to 8·8 g dL-1 and platelet count to 221 000.

CONCLUSIONS: We report the first case of TTP in a Jehovah's Witness that was successfully managed with the use of pegylated bovine carboxyhaemoglobin as an adjunct medication.