Initial Treatment of Patients With Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura

The dose for dexamethasone is 30 mg/day for patients \< 60 kg and 40 mg/day for patients \> 60 kg. The patient will be dosed on days 1-4, 15-18 and 29-32. On the remaining days during the treatment phase of the study, the patient will receive placebo capsules.

Prednisone will be administered to study patients at a dose of 60 mg/day for patients less than 60 kg and 80 mg/day for patients \> 60 kg for 21 days. The following schedule for tapering of prednisone will be used: after three weeks of treatment at either 60 mg/day (for patients \< 60 kg) or 80 mg/day (for patients ≥ 60 kg), the dose will be reduced to 40 mg/day for 1 week, then 20 mg/day for 1 week, then 10 mg/day for 1 week, then 5 mg/day for 1 week and then stopped. Placebo capsules will be added as necessary during the treatment phase of the study, to maintain blinding.