Aplastic anemia: the disease and its management

Aplastic anemia is a disease characterized by pancytopenia with hypocellular bone marrow. There are multiple etiologic agents, in particular, physical and chemical agents such as benzene and chloramphenicol (Chloromycetin). Pathogenetically, the disease may represent a stem-cell defect, a hostile microenvironment, or an autoimmune phenomenon. The diagnosis is made by history, physical examination, review of peripheral blood smear findings, and bone marrow aspiration and biopsy. Therapy is both supportive and specific, using multiple modalities; immunosuppression and bone marrow transplantation are particularly promising.