CO2 Biomitigation and Biofuel Production Using Microalgae: Photobioreactors Developments and Future Directions

Abstract

The novel thrombopoietin agonists (TPA) romiplostim and eltrombopag lead to an increase of platelets to > 50 000/mul in refractory ITP patients regardless of whether patients still have a spleen or are splenectomized. Following successful therapy serious bleeding is practically no longer seen. Most of the patients can reduce or discontinue their long-term immunosuppressive medications, mostly corticosteroids, thereby benefiting from an improvement in the quality of life and a reduction of long term side effects. The use of a TRA, as a rule, requires a continuous therapy because two weeks after discontinuation the platelets will drop to the initial low value at the beginning of therapy. The resumption of TRA, however, will invariably lead to a renewed increase of platelets. The most frequent side effects are compatible with those seen with the use of cytokines which include headaches, nausea, and gastrointestinal disturbances. Potential long term side effects might affect the bone marrow. Therefore long-time studies are under way. At the present time TRA are approved for patients requiring therapy following splenectomy and as second-line-therapy for patients with a contraindication for splenectomy