title: [Successful treatment of idiopathic pure red cell aplasia with antithymocyte globulin].
abstract: An 18-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital because of severe anemia on October 16, 1999. Laboratory data included hemoglobin 3.5 g/dl, reticulocytes 2,200/microliter, WBC 3,500/microliter, and Plt 38.5 x 10(4)/microliter. Bone marrow aspiration showed a normocellular marrow with severe erythroid hypoplasia, suggesting a diagnosis of pure red cell aplasia. Methylprednisolone pulse therapy was started on October 20, but there was no response. Administration of cyclosporine A (CyA; 400-450 mg) was begun on November 1, but again there was no response. Antithymocyte globulin (ATG; 800 mg/day for 5 days, 15 mg/kg) was started from December 1 in addition to prednisolone (60 mg/day) and CyA (450 mg/day). On day 7 of ATG therapy, the reticulocyte count began to increase, and reached a peak of 32.6 x 10(4)/microliter on day 20. The patient's hemoglobin level started to increase on day 13, and reached 8.5 g/dl on day 27. A complete response has been maintained up to the time of writing, and the hemoglobin level was 11.9 g/dl on December 14, 2000. This is the first detailed Japanese case report of successful treatment of pure red cell aplasia using ATG.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology, NTT Kanto Medical Center.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Soda
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Usuki
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Adachi
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kazama
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Iki
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Urabe
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012010:Red-Cell Aplasia, Pure / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents