Hepatitis-Associated Aplastic Anemia

Abstract

There is a well-recognized relationship between aplastic anemia and viral hepatitis. Clinically apparent hepatitis precedes aplastic anemia by a period of weeks to months. Hepatitis is an infrequent cause of aplastic anemia and is usually severe and fatal if untreated. The clinical features and, particularly the response to immunosuppressive therapy strongly suggest that immune mechanisms mediate the marrow aplasia. The cause of the hepatitis is unknown, but it does not appear to be due to any of the known hepatitis viruses. In this study we present two cases of hepatitis associated aplastic anemia (HAAA) at the ages of 10-11 years old. They both received immunosuppressive therapy, Anti thrombocytic globulin and Cyclosporine. They achieved a persistent clinicohematological remission.