title: Starvation marrow - gelatinous transformation of bone marrow.
abstract: Gelatinous bone marrow transformation (GMT), also known as starvation marrow, represents a rare pathological entity of unclear etiology, in which bone marrow histopathology demonstrates hypoplasia, fat atrophy, and gelatinous infiltration. The finding of gelatinous marrow transformation lacks disease specificity; rather, it is an indicator of severe illness and a marker of poor nutritional status, found in patients with eating disorders, acute febrile illnesses, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, alcoholism, malignancies, and congestive heart failure. We present a middle-aged woman with a history of alcoholism, depression, and anorexia nervosa who presented with failure to thrive and macrocytic anemia, with bone marrow examination demonstrative of gelatinous transformation, all of which resolved with appropriate treatment. To our knowledge, there are very few cases of GMT which have been successfully treated; thus, our case highlights the importance of proper supportive management.
authors.affiliation: St. Francis Medical Center, Department of Internal Medicine, Seton Hall University School of Graduate Medical Sciences, South Orange, NJ, USA.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Osgood
authors.affiliation: St. Francis Medical Center, Department of Medicine, Seton Hall University School of Graduate Medical Sciences, South Orange, NJ, USA.
authors.forename: Salman
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Muddassir
authors.affiliation: St. Francis Medical Center, Department of Internal Medicine, Seton Hall University School of Graduate Medical Sciences, South Orange, NJ, USA.
authors.forename: Minal
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jaju
authors.affiliation: St. Francis Medical Center Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University, South Orange, NJ, USA.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Moser
authors.affiliation: Rawalpindi Medical College, Department of Radiology, Holy Family Hospital, Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Farwa
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Farid
authors.affiliation: St. Francis Medical Center, Department of Internal Medicine, Seton Hall University School of Graduate Medical Sciences, South Orange, NJ, USA.
authors.forename: Nishith
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mewada
keywords: anemia; erythropoiesis; gelatinous infiltration; mucopolysaccharide