Erythroblastopenia

Erythroblastopenia – General Information

Erythroblastopenia is a disorder characterized by a reduction of the number of red cells of the blood. It is therefore a type of anemia which develops is slowly and usually appears in the case of young children; it can also be described as a gradual pallor. It is not a severe disease and it can be treated completely, causing no long-term side-effects. It usually develops in association with the infection caused by the human parvovirus or with an immunologic disorder. On the other hand, this disease can not be the result of a lack of erythropoietin, as the blood samples of the sufferers do not present any sign or red cells precursors. Erythroblastopenia affects a large number of people, but a clear determination of its frequency can not be established. The reason for this lack of determination is the fact that there are a lot of cases when the disease presents no symptoms (asymptotic cases). Erythroblastopenia affects more young girls than boys, but the difference is not considered relevant; another important aspect is the fact that the disease is expected to appear during the baby’s first years of life. This disease can not lead to sudden death or any other problems so severe, but it can result in some dangerous complications: the children who experienced the disease during the first years of life are likely to suffer again from this disease when they get older and, in some cases, this disease can increase the risk of a neurological disorder.

Erythroblastopenia – Symptoms

The most common sign which all the sufferers of Erythroblastopenia present is the gradually pallor which increases in the same rhythm with the severity of anemia. In some cases, the sufferers can experience excessive fatigue, a low level of energy, some neurological problems or a sudden loss of breath.
In most of the cases, the pallor and the fatigue increase rapidly and they can also be associated with lethargy, fever, abdominal pain, malaise or respiratory deficiencies. If you present one or more of the symptoms presented above, you should visit a doctor for a sure diagnosis. However, during the physical examination, he will not be able to find many signs, unless the obvious ones, such as skin pallor, an abnormal heart rhythm or tachycardia. The good part is that the sufferers of Erythroblastopenia can be easily differentiated from those who suffer from other types of anemia. These types are usually characterized by congenital problems, such as malformations, low weight, thumb malformations, short stature or uro-genital abnormalities.  In order to obtain a sure diagnosis, the doctor has to perform a complete neurological examination. If the patient presents icterus or splenomegaly he will not be diagnosed with this type of anemia, but with a hemolytic-associated anemia. The conditions which lead to the appearance of this disease are not entirely known. Studies have shown that the immunologic and the viral mechanism play an important part, as well as the seasonal clusters. All these factors increase the possibility of experiencing this disease. However, doctors and specialists are still trying to determine the exact cause.

Erythroblastopenia – Treatment

In order to obtain a sure diagnosis, your doctor will probably recommend you one or more of the following tests: CBC count which reveals the levels of red cells in the blood, a hemoglobin study, as it is common knowledge that in the case of young children affected by Erythroblastopenia, neutropenia also develops spontaneously, a viral study, a reticulocyte study or an iron study (this should be performed only if the patient presents microcytosis). In order to determine the existence of Erythroblastopenia, the doctor can also choose more complicated tests: a bone marrow aspiration or a test to reveal the enzyme levels in the body. The bone marrow aspiration is used in order to find out whether the patient needs a blood transfusion or not and if the patient is ready to recover enough in order to receive a transfusion. The studies have shown that these kinds of cultures also determine if a patient will respond to the immunosuppressive therapy or not. However, in the case of those who present classic forms of Erythroblastopenia, these cultures are useless, as well as the immunosuppressive agents. The tests which determine the levels of enzymes in the body are used in order to differentiate the types of anemia a patient may suffer from.

In the case of a severe form of Erythroblastopenia, a red cell transfusion is absolutely necessary; the complications which can also lead to a transfusion include instability, abnormal mental status or exercise intolerance. In the case of a young baby who suffers fro this disease, the parents should also visit a pediatric specialist. However, a severe anemia needs immediate transfusion. The patients who suffer from this disease do not have to follow a diet after the transfusion and they should not be administrated erythropoietin or corticosteroids. The sufferers should, however, periodically consult a doctor and follow his advices exactly in order to prevent the reappearance of the disease and any further complications. The good part is the fact that this disease is easy to treat and to eliminate and all this process usually takes shorter than 3 months. Minor symptoms are likely to develop after about one year and a half after the first intervention. However, these signs and symptoms will disappear almost completely after two or there interventions.

 Even though a diet is not necessarily after the treatment of this disease, a carefully follow-up process is absolutely needful and impossible to ignore. If the patient’s organism does not respond to the treatment it has received, then some severe complications can appear. Among these, the most important one is a cardiovascular collapse which can result in a lot of other health problems. The follow-up care is more and more important as the disease starts to affect a lot of people, no matter the age or their general health problems. In order to reduce the risk for a young baby to suffer from Erythroblastopenia, the pregnant mother should follow an equilibrated and healthy diet and she should quit smoking, alcohol and any other vicious habits.