An Approach to Aplastic Anemia

Aplastic anemia.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW Most acquired aplastic anemia is the result of immune-mediated destruction of hematopoietic stem cells causing pancytopenia and an empty bone marrow, which can be successfully treated with either immunosuppressive therapy or hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation. RECENT FINDINGS In aplastic anemia, oligoclonally expanded cytotoxic T cells induce apoptosis of hematopoietic ...

ALLOGENIC BONE MARROW TRANSPLANTATION IN APLASTIC ANEMIA

Eighteen patients, twelve men and six women, with aplastic anemia underwent allogenic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) from HLA-matched siblings during the period of 1990 to 1996. The conditioning regimen was cyclophosphamide with or without busulfan, depending on the cause of aplasia. Antilymphocyte globulin (ALG) and cyclosporine were used for rejection and acute GVHD prophylaxis, respe...

Aplastic Anemia - Diagnos tics and Therapy of Acquired Aplastic Anemia

Aplastic anemia and pesticides. An etiologic association?

The majority of cases of aplastic anemia, a rare previously lethal disease, are of unknown etiology. Nevertheless, for the past 3 decades, case reports and case series of aplastic anemia have suggested an etiologic association between aplastic anemia and pesticide exposure. A review of the medical literature, including basic science literature, confirms a possible etiologic association between ...

Treatment of Aplastic Anemia.

There is general agreement that in children and adolescents with an HLA-identical or syngeneic sibling, bone-marrow transplantation (BMT) should be performed without delay. More controversial are young-to-middle-aged adults with an HLA-identical sibling. Because of comparable survival rates, some centers advocate BMT; others advocate immunosuppression as primary treatment. BMT cures severe apla...