title: Alemtuzumab induced complete remission of therapy-resistant pure red cell aplasia.
abstract: Two patients with pure red cell aplasia (PRCA) refractory to anti-thymocyte globulin, prednisolone, cyclophosphamide, fludarabine, mitoxantrone, dexamethasone and cyclosporine, were treated with alemtuzumab (anti-CD52 antibody). Case 1, a 35-year-old man with idiopathic PRCA, remitted completely with 130 mg of alemtuzumab. Case 2, a 42-year-old man with PRCA due to T-cell large granular lymphocyte (T-LGL) leukaemia, achieved complete remission of the PRCA with 490 mg of alemtuzumab, although the T-LGL leukaemia responded only transiently. There were no significant side effects, and normalization of erythropoiesis was durable. Alemtuzumab is active in PRCA that is idiopathic or secondary to T-cell lymphoproliferative diseases.
authors.affiliation: University Department of Medicine, Professorial Block, Queen Mary Hospital, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China.
authors.forename: Wing-Yan
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Au
authors.forename: Clarence C K
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.forename: Chor-Sang
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Chim
authors.forename: Annie W K
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Pang
authors.forename: Yok-Lam
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Kwong
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000074323:Alemtuzumab; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000912:Antibodies, Neoplasm / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D006801:Humans; D015458:Leukemia, T-Cell / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008942:Mitoxantrone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012010:Red-Cell Aplasia, Pure / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012074:Remission Induction; D014740:Vidarabine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000912:Antibodies, Neoplasm; D000961:Antilymphocyte Serum; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000074323:Alemtuzumab; D003907:Dexamethasone; D016572:Cyclosporine; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D011239:Prednisolone; D008942:Mitoxantrone; D014740:Vidarabine; C024352:fludarabine