Aplastic Anemia (AA): A disease of bone marrow

 

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There are different types of bone marrow disease. Aplastic anemia is one of them. Aplastic anemia was first described by Paul Enrlich in 1888. Aplastic anemia is a life threatening bone marrow disease. It has a high mortality rate if it remains untreated. It increases the high chance of leukemia and many other blood disorder diseases. When the bone marrow is damaged, the aplastic anemia is developed. For these reasons, stem cells could not reproduce by this time as well as blood cells could not reproduce. We know that red blood cells are important substances to supply blood in our tissue or organs to keep alive them. But if the red blood cells are not developed, they could not supply oxygenated blood. For lacking oxygen, the organs could not work properly it will cause different diseases like heart failure. If platelets could not produce properly, they will not help to clot. WBC will not provide a shield against different types of pathogens if bone marrow could not produce stem cells.

Symptoms of Aplastic Anemia:

There are different types of symptoms of aplastic anemia such as:

1. Skin getting pale because lacking of blood cells.

2. Dizziness.

3.Shortness of breath.

4.Skin rash.

5.Headache.

6.Irregular heartbeat.

7.Fever.

 

Diagnosis:

There are two main types of diagnosis of aplastic anemia. They are:

Blood tests: In general case, RBC, WBC and platelet levels stay within certain ranges in a healthy human being. In case of aplastic anemia, all these three of blood cell levels are low.

Bone marrow biopsy: A doctor uses a needle to remove a small sample of bone marrow from a large bone in your body, such as your hipbone (pelvic bone or coxal bone). Then the sample is examined under a microscope to find out other blood-related diseases. In case of aplastic anemia, bone marrow contains fewer blood cells than normal one. Confirming a diagnosis of aplastic anemia requires a bone marrow biopsy. It is a very painful process. But in most cases, people need only local anesthesia, as bone marrow aspiration.

Causes of Aplastic Anemia:

1.Uses of a particular drug: Some drugs which are used to treat Rheumatoid Arthritis and different types of antibiotic caused AA.

2.Open to toxic chemical: There are some dangerous toxic chemicals such as benzene, gasoline, or insecticides that may cause AA.

3.Autoimmune Disease: Autoimmune disease is a type of disease in which mistakenly attacks the immune system in the own body. For this reasons, they destroy healthy cells as well as stem cells.

4.Viral type infection: Some life-threatening virus such as parvovirus B19, Hepatitis, HIV causes AA.

5. Chemotherapy & Radiation Treatment: Cancer patients used chemotherapy to kill cancer cells. Sometimes healthy cells also destroyed. Stem cells also can be destroyed. For these reasons, AA may be occurred

Treatment:

Treatment can be given by two methods. They are:

1.Blood Transfusion: This process is temporary. Infected patients are given blood by healthy people’s blood. But sometimes, this is an unsafe process and there is a lot of chances to get infected by other diseases if those donors have some disease. Moreover, patients may have affected by fever or allergic reactions.

2.Bone Marrow Transplant: This is the most successful treatment of Aplastic anemia. First of all, the affected person’s bone marrow is destroyed with radiation or drugs and then replaced with bone marrow from a stable donor. The donor should be family members If transplant gets successful, bone marrow transplantation can be curative for aplastic anemia disorder, and the chances of coming back are rarely. However, there are chances of developing hair loss and sterility. Some serious immune complications and other complex infections can also occur with this intensive treatment.

Reference:

1. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/285666

2. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00259-010-1422-4

3. https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/bone-marrow-transplant/about/pac-20384854

4. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/aplastic-anemia/symptoms-causes/syc-20355015

5. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/aplastic-anemia/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20355020