Aplastic Anemia

The term 'Aplastic Anemia' refers to a condition in which the body stops producing a sufficient quantity of new blood cells.  The insufficient quantity of blood cells leads to anemia (resulting in less oxygen being delivered to the tissues and consequent exhaustion), uncontrolled bleeding (due to low platelet count and low clotting factor) and a low immunity to various infections. Research has shown that aplastic anemia is almost always indicated when the blood counts are very low but the blood cells have a normal or almost normal appearance. An analysis of available statistics on aplastic anemia tells us that it is a rare disease and affects about 0.0002 % - 0.0006 % of the population in a year.

Aplastic Anemia

Symptoms of Aplastic Anemia  

Though low blood counts are a characteristic symptom of aplastic anemia, it also manifests the other symptoms of anemia like a rapid pulse, fatigue, paleness of the skin and nails and, sometimes, heart murmur. In case of pediatric aplastic anemia, nosebleeds, bruises and tiny hemorrhages under the skin may also be observed in addition to fever and infections. Some of the other symptoms that are observed in aplastic anemia are:

-Nausea along with, or in addition to, a headache
-Shortness of breath
-Dizziness
-Blood passed in the stool
-an enlarged liver and / or spleen can sometimes be detected
-White patches on red, mist and swollen oral mucosa

Causes of Aplastic Anemia    

Research on aplastic anemia in children does not reveal a discernible reason or factor in about 75% of the case while in the other 25 % aplastic anemia is attributed to a previous infection. In adults, causes can include:

-Previous episodes of specific diseases like hepatitis, infection by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or the Epstein-Barr virus

-Certain medicines, including quinine, carbamazepine, chloramphenicol, phenytoin ,and phenylbutazone, especially if taken over along period of time

-Heavy metal poisoning (especially lead poisoning)

-Radiation exposure in excess of safe doses

-Autoimmune diseases (for example, lupus) where the body's white blood cells attack the bone marrow

Treatment of Aplastic Anemia 

The treatment of aplastic anemia usually requires the immune system of the patient to be suppressed. This is achieved by a bone marrow transplant for very severe cases and daily medication for comparatively milder ones.The bone marrow transplant is a potential cure but it is a very risky procedure in which the bone marrow of the patient is replaced with healthy bone marrow. It is essential to find a donor with a matching blood and marrow type and, even then, there is the risk of graft failure in addition to the possibility that the new white blood cells will attack the rest of the body.If the transplant, however, is successful, the pluripotent stem cells that form a part of the bone marrow give the patient a new immune system, red blood cells, and platelets.