[Clinical features of hepatitis-associated aplastic anemia in children].
OBJECTIVE
To study the clinical features of hepatitis-associated aplastic anemia (HAAA) in children.


METHODS
The clinical data of the children with newly diagnosed HAAA from January 2007 to December 2008 were respectively studied, including clinical manifestations, and blood routine, bone marrow examination, viral serology and immune function results as well as treatment and prognosis.


RESULTS
A total of 8 children were confirmed as HAAA, accounting for 4.9% in children with aplastic anemia. There were 7 males and 1 female. The median age was 7.5 years (range 4.4 to 10.3 years) at diagnosis. They had negative serologic results and the causes of hepatitis could not be identified. The median interval from hepatitis occurrence to blood cell reduction was 6 weeks. Three cases were diagnosed as severe aplastic anemia and 5 cases as very severe aplastic anemia. Severe T cell immune disorders were found in all 8 cases. The percentage of Ts cells increased and the percentage of Th cells decreased significantly in the 8 children with HAAA. Four children survived after immune suppress treatment, three children died within one month after diagnosis and one child required own discharge without treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
HAAA is more frequent in male school children. The children with HAAA have severe T cell immune disorders, with a higher early death rate. Immune suppress treatment is effective.
Duan
Yan-Long
YL
Hematological/Oncological Center, Beijing Children's Hospital, Beijing 100045, China. duanyanlong@hotmail.com
Wu
Run-Hui
RH
Yang
Shuang
S
Zhang
Rui
R
Zhang
Li
L
Zhou
Xuan
X
Jiang
Jin
J
Jin
Mei
M
D000741:Anemia, Aplastic / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006505:Hepatitis / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis