 Patients above age 18 with a first episode of immune thrombocytopenia are randomized 1:1 between 2-4 weeks of daily prednisone 1 mgkgd with subsequent dose tapering arm A and six 3-week cycles of pulsed dexamethasone 0.6 mgkgd, days 1-4; arm B. The primary endpoint is duration of remission defined as platelets 50nl. 