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Aplastic anemia
Aplastic anemia is a condition where bone marrow does not produce
enough, or any, new cells to replenish the blood. One known cause is an
autoimmune disorder, where the white blood cells attack the bone marrow.
The term 'aplastic' refers to the inability of the marrow to function
properly. Anemia is the condition of having fewer blood cells than
normal, or fewer than needed to function properly. Typically, anemia
refers to low red blood cell counts, but aplastic anemia patients have
lower counts on all three blood cell types: red blood cells, white blood
cells, and platelets.
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Clinical suspicion
Anemia with thrombocytopenia or pancytopenia
with reticulocytopenia. Bone marrow aspirate often shows dry tap.
Diagnosis
Bone marrow biopsy shows replacement by fat. Cytogenetics
are normal in acquired aplastic anemia and abnormal in the 1ry type.
Treatment
Treating aplastic anemia involves suppression of the immune
system, an effect achieved by daily medicine intake, or, in more severe
cases, a bone marrow transplant, a curing but risky procedure. An
interesting property of bone marrow transplants is the production of new
white blood cells, an effect that removes the possibility of rejection.
However, newly created white blood cells might reject the whole body
instead.
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