All issues > Volume 18(7); 1975

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1975;18(7):489-498. Published online July 31, 1975.

Clinical Observation of Aplastic Anemia in Children

Chang Yee Hong¹, Hyo Seop Ahn¹, Heung Jai Lee¹

¹Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine Seoul National University Seoul, Korea

Abstract

Clinical observation was performed on 64 cases of aplastic anemia which were seen at the Department of Pediatrics, Seoul National University Hospital, during the past 14 years 2 months period from Aug. 1960 to Oct. 1974. The results were as follows; 1.During the last 14 years 2 months, 64 cases of aplastic anemia were observed, which represents about 0.6% of total 9, 300 pediatric in-patients who were seen during the same peiod. Total leukemic patients during the same period were 237 cases and the the ratio of leukemia to aplastic anemia was about 3.6 : 1. 2.The annual incidence of aplastic anemia was proportional to that of the total pediatric in patients in 1960s, but it showed increasing tendency tendency in 1970s. 3.The age incidence was that 11 cases (17.2%) were below 5 years of age, 30 cases (46.9%) were between 6 to 10 and 23 cases (35.9%) were between 11 to 15. Male patients were 44 cases (68.7%) and female patients were 20 cases (31.3%), and the ratio of male to female was 2.2: 1. 4.The etiology was congenital or constitutional in 2 cases (3.1%), secondary in 9 cases (14.1%), and unknown in 53 cases (82.8%). Among the secondary type drug-induced form was 7 cases and chloramphenicol .was associated with 5 cases solely or combined with other, drugs, :and 2 cases were associated with hepatitis. 5.The chief complaints on admission were pallor, epistaxsis, general weakness and fever in order of frequency. The most frequent bleeding site was the skin and the nose. 6.The bone marrow findings were hypocellular in 61 cases, and normocellular in 3 cases, but 2 cases of the latter became hypocellular later. 7.Treatment was chiefly with testosterone and corticosteroid therapy in addition to the supportive therapy. Among the 27 compliant cases which could be followed up with recommended therapy 10 cases (37.1%) were in remission, 9 cases were stationary, and 8 cases (29.6%) expired. The cause of death was bleeding in 4 cases, infection in 1 case, bleeding and infection in 1 cases, and unkown in 2 cases.

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