All issues > Volume 33(2); 1990

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1990;33(2):170-177. Published online February 28, 1990.

Immunomodulation Therapy in Children with Aplastic Anemia.

Won Suk Suh¹, Ki Sik Min¹, Woo Gun Choi¹, Hack Ki Kim¹, Kyoung Sn Lee¹, Soon Yong Lee²

¹Department of Pediatrics, Catholic University Medical College, Seoul, Korea.
²Department of Pediatrics, Inje Medical College, Pusan, Korea.

Received: July 7, 1989;  Accepted: September 26, 1989.

Abstract

Thirty patients with aplastic anemia(fifteen severe aplastic anemia and fifteen moderate aplastic anemia) treated with antilymphocyte globulin and cyclosporin A as a kind of immunomodulation therapy were studied by analysing hematologic reseponses and complications. The results were as follows; 1) Nineteen out of thirty patients (63.3%) treated with anti lymphocyte globulin plus cyclosporin A showed responses (complete response of 33.3%, partial response of 30.0%). 2) Hematologic responses according to the severity of disease were shown in six out of fifteen severe aplastic anemia patients(40.0%;complete response of 13.4%, partial response of 26.6%) and in thirteen out of fifteen moderate aplastic anemia patients(86.6%complete response of 53.3%, Partial response of 33.3%). 3) Hematologic responses according to the difference of sex were shown in nine out of seventeen male patients(52.9%;complete response of 17.6%, partial response of 35.3%) and ten out of thirteen female patients(77.0 % complete response of 53.8%, partial response of 23.2%). 4) Most of the responses were noticed between 2 months and 6 months(mean:3.6 months) after the initiation of therapy;earlist at 2 months, latest at 6 months. 5) The complications of therapy were thrombocytopenia, hypertension, fever and rash etc., Although this study is preliminary, our data suggest that antilymphocyte globulin plus cyclosporin A may be useful therapeutic modality for the patients with severe aplastic anemia who can not be the candidate for bone marrow transplantation and moderate aplastic anemia.

Keywords :Aplastic anemia, Immunomodulation