Kurzrock, R., Cortes, J., Thomas, D.A., Jeha, S., Pilat, S., & Talpaz, M. (2001). Pilot study of low-dose interleukin-11 in patients with bone marrow failure. Journal of Clinical Oncology, 19, 4165–4172.
Six of 16 patients (38%) showed an increase in platelet count greater than 70K, mostly within the first two-week course. Of the six responders, their baseline platelet count was 1–48; none received transfusions. One patient also received granulocyte colony-stimulating factor and erythropoietin; time to response was approximately 20 weeks. Two patients had an abrupt decrease in platelet counts in the two-week rest period between courses. Response duration was 12–30 weeks. Side effects were mild peripheral edema (two patients treated with furosemide 20 mg PO), conjunctival infection, and myalgia; seven patients had no side effects.