title: An unexpected cause for aplastic anaemia in an elderly woman.
abstract: Aplastic anaemia is a rare clinical syndrome associated with diminished or absent precursors in the bone marrow. Acquired aplastic anaemia secondary to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is very rare. We present a 71-year-old woman with severe aplastic anaemia secondary to HIV infection, which was after extensive exclusion of other causes. She achieved undetectable viral load after 5 months of combination antiretroviral therapy but remains profoundly pancytopenic, complicated by recurrent infectious and bleeding complications. HIV infection should be considered in patients with pancytopenia.
authors.forename: C K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Phua
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Marimuthu
authors.forename: H Y
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Teo
authors.forename: K H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Ong
authors.forename: Y S
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Leo
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000741:Anemia, Aplastic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001856:Bone Marrow Examination; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D010198:Pancytopenia / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D019562:Viral Load
chemical_list: D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents