Prednisone-responsive aplastic anemia associated with T-lymphocyte proliferation.
In some cases, bone marrow aplasia has been thought to result from immunologic abnormalities. Our patient had severe transfusion-dependent aplastic anemia, which responded to treatment with prednisone on two occasions. The exacerbations of aplastic anemia were associated with lymphocytic proliferation which on one occasion had the characteristics of T-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Though he had had mild lymphoproliferation for a number of years, he ultimately died with progressive diffuse lymphoid infiltration of the bone marrow and other organs. The simultaneous occurrence of the T-cell lymphoproliferation and aplastic anemia and their simultaneous response to therapy suggests that this may be a clinical example of T-lymphocyte mediated suppression of erythropoiesis.
D000741:Anemia, Aplastic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000628:therapy; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000473:pathology; D006454:Hemoglobins; D006529:Hepatomegaly / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008214:Lymphocytes; D010976:Platelet Count; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013163:Splenomegaly / Q000150:complications; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology*
D006454:Hemoglobins; D011241:Prednisone