Pure red cell aplasia secondary to treatment with erythropoietin

Pure red cell aplasia (PRCA) is a rare condition defined as severe anemia secondary to the virtual absence of red blood cell precursors in the bone marrow. In the setting of patients treated with rHuEPO, the disease is generated by epoetin-induced antibodies that neutralise all the exogenous rHuEPO and cross-react with endogenous erythropoietin. As a result, serum erythropoietin levels are undetectable and erythropoiesis becomes ineffective. Only 4 cases of PRCA associated with rh-EPO have been reported before 1998. Thereafter, a sharp increase in the incidence of this rare condition has been reported, mainly associated with epoetin alpha use outside the United States. A number of possible mechanisms leading to PRCA development have been identified. Among these, modification of drug formulation and down stream processing probably has had a major role. Indeed, in 1998 the formulation of epoetin alpha in Europe was modified because of the fear of the "mad cow" syndrome. However, differences in molecule structure and glycosylation among different epoetins can not be excluded. It should also be underlined that the rise in the incidence of PRCA cases has been coincident with a major shift from intravenous to subcutaneous administration of rHuEPO. The abrupt rise in the incidence of PRCA cases observed in the last few years, deserves particular attention; however, we have to balance its severity, but extreme rarity, with the high number of chronic kidney disease patients who die each year because of cardiovascular disease that could partially be reduced by anemia treatment.