FREQUENCY OF CURE WITH CYCLOSPORIN THERAPY IN PATIENTS WITH APLASTIC ANEMIA

Aplastic Anemia (AA) is rare haemopoietic stem cell disorder characterized by pancytopenia in peripheral blood and hypocellular marrow in which normal haemopoietic marrow is replaced by fat cells. Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the frequency of cure with cyclosporin therapy in patients with aplastic anemia. Materials and Methods: It was a descriptive case series study carried in the Department of Haematology, Shaikh Zayed Hospital, Lahore. The study was completed in six months from January 2010 to July 2010. It was a hospital based case series of 45 patients suffering from aplastic anemia who fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The patients were given cyclosporin for six months and cure was assessed after 3 and 6 months by haematological parameters. Standard procedures were followed for all laboratory tests. Data was analyzed by SPSS version 10. Results: After six months of cyclosporin therapy, 6 (21.4%) patients were cured. Seven (25%) were partial responders and 15(54%) were non responders. Conclusion: In developing countries like Pakistan majority of patients cannot afford bone marrow transplant and antithymocyte globulin (as these are expensive options) hence cyclosporin which is a relatively inexpensive drug is a valuable therapeutic option.