Efficacy of prophylactic use of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole in autoimmune neutropenia in infancy.
OBJECTIVE
Most children with autoimmune neutropenia (AIN) have a benign clinical course because of the spontaneous resolution of neutropenia. The authors observed the clinical course of AIN in infancy accompanied by the prophylactic use of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) during neutropenia.


METHODS
Eight infants with AIN were followed by serial tests for antineutrophil antibodies and management of infectious complications.


RESULTS
The spontaneous disappearance of antineutrophil antibodies that preceded the normalization of the neutrophil count was found in all patients. Until the resolution of neutropenia, TMP-SMX was administered in five patients, resulting in a reduction in the incidence of infection with no adverse effects.


CONCLUSIONS
These observations demonstrate the possibility of the safety and usefulness of TMP-SMX treatment in patients with AIN.
Kobayashi
Masao
M
Department of Child Health, Hiroshima University Graduate School of Education, 1-1-1 Kagamiyama Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima, 739-8524 Japan. masak@hiroshima-u.ac.jp
Sato
Takashi
T
Kawaguchi
Hiroshi
H
Nakamura
Kazuhiro
K
Kihara
Hirotaka
H
Hiraoka
Asako
A
Tanihiro
Misae
M
Taniguchi
Kikuyo
K
Takata
Noboru
N
Ueda
Kazuhiro
K
D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019072:Antibiotic Prophylaxis / Q000379:methods*; D019268:Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic / Q000097:blood*; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D003140:Communicable Disease Control; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007239:Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000276:immunology; D015662:Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D019268:Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic; D001323:Autoantibodies; D015662:Trimethoprim, Sulfamethoxazole Drug Combination