title: Immune thrombocytopenic purpura evolving into aplastic anemia in association with Epstein-Barr virus infection.
abstract: Two children with typical findings of acute immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) soon progressed to pancytopenia with severely hypocellular bone marrows. Both were found to have evidence of recent Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection. Treatment with anti-thymocyte globulin resulted in a complete remission in one patient and near complete remission in the other. Possible pathophysiologic mechanisms of this transformation are discussed. Children with a diagnosis of ITP who suffer a progressive fall in all hematologic cell lines should be examined for the possibility of EBV-associated aplastic anemia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, North Shore University Hospital-Cornell University Medical College, Manhasset, New York 11030.
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Weinblatt
mesh_terms: D000741:Anemia, Aplastic / Q000209:etiology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004854:Herpesvirus 4, Human; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007244:Infectious Mononucleosis / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D016553:Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic / Q000150:complications*