Blood cells are mainly produced by the bone marrow and are divided into three groups - erythrocytes, leukocytes and platelets. For various reasons, this mechanism can be disrupted, which causes aplastic anemia, in which all three components of the blood cease to be produced or produced in insufficient quantities.
Aplastic anemia - causes
Most often the disease develops due to unknown causes, in such cases it is called idiopathic.
In other situations, the factors that provoke the pathology of the bone marrow are as follows:
- irradiation with radioactive substances;
- the ingestion of large toxins into the body of toxins (salts of heavy metals, arsenic);
- heredity;
- genetic mutations;
- infectious diseases;
- taking certain medications (cytostatics, analgesics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs);
- autoimmune disorders ( Sjogren's disease ).
Aplastic anemia - symptoms
Signs of the disease for a long time either do not show up, or are so invisible that they do not cause a reason to call a doctor.
Symptoms can occur rarely and will not last long with a gradual increase in relapse and worsening of the patient's condition. As a rule, they are characterized by a shortage of blood constituents:
- weakness;
- pallor of the skin;
- bleeding from the gums, nose;
- cardiopalmus;
- small hematomas, usually subcutaneous;
- shortness of breath ;
- propensity to infectious diseases;
- headaches and dizziness.
Aplastic anemia - diagnosis
You can only make an accurate diagnosis on the basis of the results of the bone marrow examination. His specimen is obtained by means of trepanobiopsy or biopsy. During the study of the tissue, it is determined whether the formation of blood cells is insufficient or whether there is instant destruction of white blood cells, platelets and erythrocytes.
In addition, aplastic anemia involves a blood test with the determination of the content in the biological fluid of its three components.
Aplastic anemia - prognosis
Without timely therapy, especially when the disease progresses in severe form, the prognosis is unfavorable - patients die within only a few (3-5) months.
When receiving proper treatment, aplastic anemia recedes: more than 80% of patients experience improvement and a return to normal life.
Aplastic anemia - treatment
Medication therapy of pathology consists in the long-term administration of immunosuppressive drugs (antimotsitarnogo or antilymfotsitarnogo globulin) in combination with cyclosporins. In order to avoid the negative side effects of these agents, steroid hormones are additionally prescribed (usually methylprednisolone).
In addition, during the therapy, it is necessary periodically to make blood transfusions to restore its normal composition. It is also important to use growth factors (granulocyte colony-stimulating factors) that promote
To prevent infectious and fungal diseases that worsen the course of anemia, prophylaxis with antibiotics and fluconazole preparations is carried out.
The most effective way to treat an illness is bone marrow transplantation from a healthy donor, preferably a compatible relative, for example, a brother or sister. Transplantation works best if the patient is young and does not suffer from the disease for long. It is worth noting that in rare cases, the body rejects the transplanted bone marrow, despite immunomodulating therapy.