Aplastic Anaemia

Aplastic anaemia means that we don't make blood cells. In the adult it occurs as a result of bone marrow failure - there is reduction of production of all cells - red cells, white cells and platelets. It is rare in children, but it can occur as a result of an inherited disorder called Fanconi anaemia, where there is a defect in the normal repair mechanisms for DNA, and there are associated structural abnormalities affecting the hands and the kidneys. Rarely it may follow exposure to certain drugs, but the cause in the vast majority of cases is unknown. It may respond to transplantation of stem cells, or to treatment with immunosuppressive agents such as anti-thymocyte globulin.
 
 
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