ANTITHYMOCYTE GLOBULIN, METHYLPREDNISOLONE AND CYCLOSPORINE IS AN EFFECTIVE TREATMENT IN SEVER APLASTIC ANEMIA

Background: Immune suppressive therapy in severe aplastic anemia is considered now a standard treatment and it could be an alternative to the hemopoietic stem cell transplantation. Patients and methods: Thirteen Iraqi patients with severe aplastic anemia were included in this study. The place of work was in national center of hematology and center of bone marrow transplantation. They were treated with antithymocyte globulin infusion for 5 days, then continued on oral prednisolone for 28 days. The monitoring of the patients was done by complete blood count. Results: The response to the treatment was observed in 7 patients. 53% had CR and 38% had PR there was significant improvement in the WBC and platelet counts, but there were no significant changes in the HB levels. There was no difference between sex in response to treatment. Those patients who were considered non responders were six, the death rate was 15% and allergic reaction occur in one patient 7%. Conclusion: Antithymocyte globulin, methylprednisolone and cyclosporine is an effective treatment in severe aplastic anemia.