Successful use of high-dose cyclophosphamide in a child with severe autoimmune hemolytic anemia.
We report the case of a five-month-old boy with a life-threatening autoimmune hemolytic anemia that was unresponsive to conventional therapy with steroids, high-dose immunoglobulin, azathioprine and splenectomy. Despite these therapies, the patient's condition worsened, requiring 2-3 blood transfusions/day, since the hemoglobin level was constantly below 4 g/dl. We eventually increased immunosuppression by giving high-dose cyclophosphamide and the child showed a striking, sudden improvement, followed by complete recovery. No major long-term complications were observed.
Panceri
R
R
Divisione di Ematologia Pediatrica, Università di Milano, Monza, Italy.
Fraschini
D
D
Tornotti
G
G
Masera
G
G
Locasciulli
A
A
Bacigalupo
A
A
D000744:Anemia, Hemolytic, Autoimmune / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000628:therapy; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012074:Remission Induction; D013156:Splenectomy; D065227:Transfusion Reaction
D003520:Cyclophosphamide