Immunosuppression as initial treatment for gold induced aplastic anemia.
Three patients who received antithymocyte globulin therapy for severe aplastic anemia due to gold therapy are described. In 2 patients the hemoglobin, white blood cell count and neutrophils were normal and platelet counts exceeded 100 X 10(9)/1 more than 2 years after treatment. The 3rd patient did not respond to antithymocyte globulin or to cyclosporine therapy; subsequent allogeneic bone marrow transplantation resulted in satisfactory engraftment at 12 months. In all 3 patients the arthritis was improved after the episode of marrow aplasia and its treatment. Including these 3 patients, 12 reported patients with severe aplastic anemia due to gold have now been treated with antithymocyte globulin; 8 have shown significant improvement. These results are better than those reported for any other treatment. Antithymocyte globulin may be optimal initial treatment for this serious disorder.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000741:Anemia, Aplastic / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000628:therapy; D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003524:Cyclosporins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006052:Gold Sodium Thiomalate / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum; D003524:Cyclosporins; D006052:Gold Sodium Thiomalate