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Therapy of aplastic anemia with sequential antithymocyte globulin and cyclosporin
Author(s) -
Doolittle Gary C.,
Bodensteiner David C.,
Skikne Barry S.,
Amare Mammo
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
american journal of hematology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.456
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1096-8652
pISSN - 0361-8609
DOI - 10.1002/ajh.2830360214
Subject(s) - aplastic anemia , medicine , globulin , chemotherapy , anemia , blood product , blood transfusion , gastroenterology , immunology , surgery , bone marrow
Five consecutive patients with severe aplastic anemia were treated with antithymocyte globulin followed by cyclosporin A. All received antithymocyte globulin initially, and because of lack of response within a 4 week period, cyclosporin was administered subsequently. Hematologic improvement occurred within four months of initiation of cyclosporin. Four patients no longer require blood product support, while one remains transfusion‐dependent. In two patients, thrombocytopenia developed when the cyclosporin was tapered but re‐institution of the drug resulted in a prompt improvement of counts. These observations indicate that the sequential use of antithymocyte globulin and cyclosporin may be an effective therapeutic approach in the treatment of severe aplastic anemia.