Aplastic anaemia and bone marrow failure
Pancytopenia with an empty marrow. Causes including inherited marrow failure, Camitta severity, separating aplastic anaemia from hypoplastic MDS and PNH, matched sibling transplant versus horse ATG, ciclosporin and eltrombopag (PBS-listed), and supportive care.
Tier 2Condition
Written with AI assistance and fact-checked against the sources below. For exam study, not clinical decisions. How notes are made
At a glance
- Pancytopenia with a hypocellular marrow and no infiltrate, fibrosis or significant dysplasia.
- Most adult cases are acquired and immune-mediated: cytotoxic T cells and interferon-gamma destroy stem cells. That is why immunosuppression works.
- Rare (about 2 per million per year in Western countries), with peaks at 15 to 25 and over 60.
Loading the rest of the note…
Finished reading?
Sources
- Guidelines for the diagnosis and management of adult aplastic anaemia: a British Society for Haematology guidelineKulasekararaj A et al., Br J Haematol 2024;204:784-804, 2024
- Eltrombopag added to immunosuppression in severe aplastic anemia (RACE)Peffault de Latour R et al., N Engl J Med 2022;386:11-23, 2022
- Horse versus rabbit antithymocyte globulin in acquired aplastic anemiaScheinberg P et al., N Engl J Med 2011;365:430-38, 2011
- Severe aplastic anaemia (eltrombopag PBS authority)AU/NZServices Australia, 2024
- Last updated
- 14 November 2026
What changed
- 14 November 2026 Turnstile bot check on sign-in and signed-out feedback