Therapy for pediatric aplastic anemia; 7 years experience at the Puerto Rico Pediatric Oncology Program

Nine pediatric patients with aplastic or hypoplastic anemia were seen at the Pediatric Hematology-Oncology service of the University of Puerto Rico, from 1980 to first trimester of 1987. Included were eight males and one female ranging from twenty months to sixteen 8/12 years (mean 13 years). Hematomas and fever were the most common complaints. The interval since the first symptoms and the diagnosis varied from one day to one week. The peripheral cell count was abnormal in all patients; pancytopenia being the most common finding. Five of seven who received antithymocyte globulin (ATG-AM), showed improvement in their peripheral count. The median time interval from the end of ATG-AM and response was two months (range 2 weeks to 15 months).