Pure red cell aplasia

The presentation and clinical course of pure red cell aplasia in 5 patients are described. In 3 of them no concomitant diseases were present, in 1 the condition was associated with the presence of a thymoma, and the remaining patient was suffering from a lymphocytic lymphoma. Pregnancy led to a recurrence of the disorder in 2 patients. The fact that 4 of the patients exhibited unequivocal evidence of other auto-immune disturbances adds further support to the concept that pure red cell aplasia itself has an auto-immune basis.