Case report: Thymectomy-induced remission of acquired autoimmune hemolytic anemia in an adult with myasthenia gravis.
A 57-year-old woman with diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, myasthenia gravis, systemic lupus erythematosus, atopy, and basal cell cancer of the skin developed a severe Coombs'-positive autoimmune hemolytic anemia which was resistant to treatment with large doses of azathioprine, cytoxan, and prednisone. One year after transcervical thymectomy the hemolytic anemia disappeared and the patient has maintained a normal hemoglobin and negative Coombs' test without immunosuppressants even since. We believe this case report to be the first recorded instance of thymectomy-induced remission of autoimmune hemolytic anemia in an adult.
D000744:Anemia, Hemolytic, Autoimmune / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D002280:Basal Cell Carcinoma / Q000150:complications; D003298:Coombs Test; D048909:Diabetes Complications; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007037:Hypothyroidism / Q000150:complications; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000150:complications; D008875:Middle Aged; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000150:complications*; D011697:Purpura, Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic / Q000150:complications; D012075:Remission, Spontaneous; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D013934:Thymectomy