Antibody-mediated acquired sideroblastic anemia: response to cytotoxic therapy

A 5 1/2-yr-old child developed severe anemia with erythroid hypoplasia and 50% ringed sideroblasts in his bone marrow. A serum inhibitor of erythropoiesis was demonstrated, utilizing syngeneic and autologous bone marrow in a plasma-clot culture system. The IgG fraction of the patient's serum effected similar suppression of erythroid colony formation. Prednisone therapy was ineffective, but following treatment with cyclophosphamide, normal erythropoiesis was established, ringed sideroblasts disappeared, and his serum no longer inhibited erythropoiesis in vitro. Cyclophosphamide was discontinued, and the patient has remained hematologically normal. This patient is an example of antibody-mediated sideroblastic anemia successfully treated with a cytotoxic drug.