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Aplastic anemia
Aplastic anemia (AA) is a rare, life-threatening bone marrow failure (BMF) disorder that affects patients of all ages and is caused by lymphocyte destruction of early hematopoietic cells
Prevalence
1-9 / 1,000,000
Age of Onset
ICD-10
D61.0
Inheritance
Autosomal dominant
Autosomal recessive
Mitochondrial/Multigenic
X-linked dominant
X-linked recessive
5 Facts you should know
FACT
Aplastic anemia (AA) should be suspected in patients presenting with pancytopenia and hypocellular bone marrow
FACT
Symptoms may include fatigue, weakness, dizziness, shortness of breath, frequent infections, and bleeding
FACT
There is a well-recognized bimodal age distribution with one peak in mid to late childhood and another in the elderly
FACT
In ~10% of patients, a history of non-viral hepatitis can precede the onset of AA
FACT
For newly diagnosed severe aplastic anemia, bone marrow transplant should be pursued in all pediatric patients and in younger adult patients when a matched sibling donor is available
Interest over time
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Common signs & symptoms
Anemia
Bone marrow hypocellularity
Pancytopenia
Reticulocytopenia
Current treatments
Treatment for aplastic anemia varies depending on the severity. While some individuals with mild to moderate aplastic anemia may not require treatment, for others, treatment may include:
Blood transfusions
to keep blood cell counts at acceptable levels
Blood and marrow stem cell transplants
to replace damaged stem cells with health ones from a donor (another person)
Medications
to stimulate the bone marrow, suppress the immune system, and prevent and treat infections