Aplastic Anemia

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Basics

• Summary
• Start Here
• Diagnosis and Tests
• Treatments and Therapies

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• Related Issues
• Specifics
• Genetics

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Research

• Clinical Trials
• Journal Articles

Resources

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For You

• Children
• Women
• Patient Handouts

Summary

Aplastic anemia is a rare but serious blood disorder. If you have it, your bone marrow doesn't make enough new blood cells. There are different types, including Fanconi anemia. Causes include

• Toxic substances, such as pesticides, arsenic, and benzene
• Radiation therapy and chemotherapy for cancer
• Certain medicines
• Infections such as hepatitis, Epstein-Barr virus, or HIV
• Autoimmune disorders
• Certain inherited conditions
• Pregnancy

In many people, the cause is unknown.

Symptoms include fatigue, weakness, dizziness, and shortness of breath. It can cause heart problems such as an irregular heartbeat, an enlarged heart, and heart failure. You may also have frequent infections and bleeding.

Your doctor will diagnose aplastic anemia based on your medical and family histories, a physical exam, and test results. Once your doctor knows the cause and severity of the condition, he or she can create a treatment plan for you. Treatments include blood transfusions, blood and marrow stem cell transplants, and medicines.

NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Start Here

• Aplastic Anemia (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)

Diagnosis and Tests

• Complete Blood Count (CBC) (National Library of Medicine) Also in Spanish
• Reticulocyte Count Also in Spanish
• What Are Bone Marrow Tests? (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)

Treatments and Therapies

• Blood and Bone Marrow Transplant? (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
• Iron Chelation (Aplastic Anemia & MDS International Foundation)
• What Is a Blood Transfusion? (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)

Related Issues

• Special Issues for People with Aplastic Anemia (Aplastic Anemia & MDS International Foundation)

Specifics

• Aplastic Anemia and Myelodysplastic Syndromes (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)
• Fanconi Anemia (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
• Severe Aplastic Anemia (SAA) (National Marrow Donor Program)

Genetics

• Fanconi anemia: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Anemia, Aplastic (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

• Article: Clinical variations between three different causes of thrombocytopenia.
• Article: Effectiveness and safety of tacrolimus with or without eltrombopag, as a...
• Article: Novel therapeutic choices in immune aplastic anemia.
• Aplastic Anemia -- see more articles

Find an Expert

• National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
• National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

Children

• Aplastic Anemia (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish

Women

• Anemia (Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health) Also in Spanish

Patient Handouts

• Aplastic anemia (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Fanconi anemia (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish