title: Ticlopidine-induced aplastic anemia and quick recovery with G-CSF: case report and literature review.
abstract: We report here a case of ticlopidine-induced aplastic anemia that responded to G-CSF and review the literature. An 83-year-old woman was started on ticlopidine for coronary artery disease after an episode of upper gastrointestinal bleeding secondary to aspirin. She developed aplastic anemia seven weeks after initiation of ticlopidine. She was hospitalised and received empiric antibiotic therapy and granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF). Her bone marrow started to recover quickly, and white blood cell and platelet counts returned to normal within three weeks. A review of medical literature revealed 20 similar cases of ticlopidine-induced aplastic anemia resulting in death in seven cases. G-CSF has been used previously with variable success. Ticlopidine is associated with serious, sometimes fatal hematological side effects. This risk should be seriously taken into consideration when prescribing ticlopidine. G-CSF may be helpful in the treatment of ticlopidine-induced aplastic anemia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon. ataher@aub.edu.lb
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Taher
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ammash
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dabajah
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nasrallah
authors.forename: F H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Mourad
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000741:Anemia, Aplastic / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001241:Aspirin / Q000009:adverse effects; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000187:drug effects; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000139:chemically induced; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000150:complications; D007958:Leukocyte Count / Q000187:drug effects; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010976:Platelet Count / Q000187:drug effects; D013988:Ticlopidine / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; D016179:Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor; D013988:Ticlopidine; D001241:Aspirin