Aplastic Anaemia

Aplastic anemia is a rare yet deadly blood condition. It occurs when your bone marrow cannot produce enough white blood cells Red Hb. People with aplastic anemia are more likely to contract major infections, have bleeding problems, develop heart problems, and experience other difficulties. There are therapies to manage the symptoms of aplastic anemia, but the only cure is a stem cell transplant.  The incidence of aplastic anemia varies greatly worldwide, and it also varies geographically in India. Epidemiological research is lacking in both Asia and India. The incidence in Asia has been found to be 2-3 times higher (up to 8.8 per million people per year) than in the Western world . A few studies from India indicated that up to 20–30% of cases of pancytopenia were later identified as aplastic anemia.

Symptoms

Aplastic anemia symptoms typically appear over weeks or months, so you may not notice changes in your body immediately. In some circumstances, people have immediate and severe symptoms. If you develop symptoms, they may include frequent virus infections, fatigue, easy bleeding or bruising, feeling short of breath (dyspnea), paler skin color, dizziness, headache, and fever.

Causes

Experts may not know all of the causes of aplastic anemia, but it usually occurs when your immune system assaults your bone marrow, preventing it from producing stem cells. Certain medical illnesses, hereditary conditions, medicinal treatments, and exposure to certain toxins can all raise your chances of getting aplastic anemia.

Risk factors

Aplastic anemia is a rare condition. The following factors can increase risk:

• Cancer treatment using high-dose radiation or chemotherapy.

• Exposure to harmful chemicals

• The use of some prescription drugs—such as chloramphenicol, which is used to treat bacterial infections, and gold compounds used to treat rheumatoid arthritis.

• Various blood diseases, autoimmune disorders, and serious infections

• Pregnancy, rarely

Diagnosis and Tests

Physical examinations, blood tests, and genetic testing are used by healthcare providers to diagnose aplastic anemia. The tests may include:

• Complete blood count (CBC) with differential.

• Peripheral blood smear.

• Reticulocyte count.

• Bone marrow aspiration and bone marrow biopsy.

Management and Treatment

Treatments differ according to your situation. Aplastic anemia, for example, might arise as a side effect of cancer or autoimmune disease treatment. In that case, doctors may be able to treat aplastic anemia by changing their therapy. If tests show that your blood cell levels are lower than normal but you do not have any symptoms, your doctor may diagnose you with moderate aplastic anemia.

Treatments for more severe forms of aplastic anemia include:

• Immunosuppressants. These medications prevent your immune system from attacking your stem cells. Immunosuppressants used to treat aplastic anemia include Atgam® (antithymocyte globulin injection) and Sandimmune® (cyclosporine).

• Blood transfusions. Transfusions replace both red blood cells and platelets. Transfusions do not cure aplastic anemia, but they can alleviate some symptoms.

• Antibiotics. Aplastic anemia raises the risk of bacterial infection. Antibiotics help to treat infections.

• Allogeneic stem cell transplantation. Providers replace damaged stem cells in your bone marrow with healthy stem cells obtained from donated blood or bone marrow.

Prevention

Most cases of aplastic anemia have no known cause. Your risk of illness may be lowered by limiting your exposure to paint removers, herbicides, insecticides, and organic solvents.

Conclusion

Aplastic anemia is a dangerous illness characterized by the bone marrow's inability to produce enough blood cells, resulting in a number of health issues. Early diagnosis and treatment are important for symptom management and improved results. Patients may need a combination of treatments, such as medications, blood transfusions, and even a bone marrow transplant, based on the disorder's severity and underlying causes.