Aplastic Anemia

Aplastic Anemia – General Information

Aplastic Anemia – Symptoms

• Tiredness
• Shortness of breath
• Fatigue
• Paleness
• Beating noise in the ears
• Headaches
• If there is an insufficiency of white blood cells, the patient can experience the following problems:
• Infections, located in the chest or skin
• Persistent or recurrent sore throat
• In other cases, there can appear an insufficiency of platelets, which is characterized by:
• Gum bleeding
• Prolonged periods
• Nose bleed
• Skin infection
• Prominent red spots on the legs
• Blood assaults in the mouth

Aplastic Anemia – Treatment

If you are suspect of developing Aplastic Anemia, your doctor may recommend you to take one of the following tests:

• Blood cell testing, especially in order to determine the level of hemoglobin and red cells
• Biochemical profile: a Coombs test, determination of the level of bilirubin, lactic dehydrogenase, transaminase and an analysis of the kidney functionality
• Serologic tests for viral agents, such as HIV
• An autoimmune- disorder evaluation
• The Ham test
• Histo-compatibility tests, conducted in order to establish potential donors, especially in the case of young sufferers.
• Diepoxubutane incubation.
• All these examinations must be performed as soon as possible, as the patient’s life depends on them; furthermore, after he receives the results, the doctor should rapidly choose the best way of treating the patient. The medical care available for the sufferers of Aplastic Anemia consists of:

Transfusions: this is the first action when a person is diagnosed with this disease; the transfusion will establish the patient’s condition and will keep him in a normal condition until other measures will be taken. The transfusion should be made from others than relatives, as in the case of family members the antigens may interfere and cause more serious problems. If the transfusion is not vital, the doctor should consult with a specialist in Aplastic Anemia before choosing such a procedure.

Treatment of infections: must be made quickly, as the infections can result into death. The risk agents include indwelling catheters, prolonged neutropenia and fungal infections. The most common treatment for infections is the administration of antibiotics and, in special conditions, the administration of antifungal agents, especially in what concerns the patients who experience high and persistent fever. Furthermore, the doctor should find an appropriate donor and he must assure that there will be no side effects.

Immunosuppressive therapy: this procedure is needed if no appropriate donor was found or if the sufferer is an old person. The response of such intervention is though quite slow and the patient will need permanent observation for at least two months. In most of the cases, the patients observe an improvement and, within a year, they can renounce at transfusions. The negative part is the fact that most often there appear relapses and the sufferers need another intervention. The studies show that, in some cases, a higher dosage can prove more effective and it can assure long-term benefits; however, the doctors do not recommend such a treatment. In what concerns surgical care for Aplastic Anemia, all the patients need a venous catheter before any therapy is administrated.

Other medications may be prescribed by your personal doctor, depending on your response to therapy and medical interventions. All the patients should be treated by a specialized person; if that is not possible; than they must assure that their doctor consults permanently an expert. Even if a patient receives the appropriate care for Aplastic Anemia, there can appear some complications, such as: bleeding, minor infections or graft failure. In order to prevent such complications, the patients should maintain their personal hygiene.