title: Cyclosporine treatment for patients with CRF who developed pure red blood cell aplasia following EPO therapy.
abstract: Human recombinant erythropoietin is the main treatment for anemia in renal patients. Recently, there have been case reports of pure red blood cell aplasia (PRCA) developing in renal patients administered erythropoietin, probably because of neutralizing antibodies detected in all these patients. All reports were from the West, and most patients were treated with erythropoietin-alpha. Cyclosporine is an immunosuppressive agent used to treat a spectrum of autoimmune conditions. We report a series of Chinese renal patients who developed PRCA after treatment with erythropoietin-alpha, suggesting that this is a problem worldwide. They were treated successfully with cyclosporine and became transfusion independent.
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematology/Oncology, National University Hospital, Singapore 119074. chngwj@nuh.com.sg
authors.forename: Wee J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Chng
authors.forename: Lip K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Te C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D044466:Asian People; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000068817:Epoetin Alfa; D004921:Erythropoietin / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D012010:Red-Cell Aplasia, Pure / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D004921:Erythropoietin; D000068817:Epoetin Alfa; D016572:Cyclosporine