Treatment of aplastic anaemia by antilymphocyte globulin with and without allogeneic bone-marrow infusions
Speck, B.; Gluckman, E.; Haak, H.L.; van Rood, J.J.
Lancet 2(8049): 1145-1148
1977
ISSN/ISBN: 0140-6736 PMID: 73059 Document Number: 118565
Patients (29) with severe aplastic anemia were treated with antilymphocyte globulin (ALG) alone (15 patients) or ALG followed by infusion of allogeneic bone-marrow (14 patients). The overall response to both forms of treatment in terms of 1 yr survival was 55%; 12 of the 29 patients showed sustained hematological improvement, during a period of observation of up to 4 1/2 yr. No potentially fatal complications were observed. None of the bone-marrow infusions led to a permanent take or graft vs. host disease. In a substantial proportion of cases of aplastic anemia, unspecified autoimmune reactions probably block the development of residual stem cells. ALG seems to offer a good chance of survival, especially for those patients who do not have HLA-matched siblings.