Although aplastic anemia is a rare condition, it does affect an estimated 500 to 1,000 people in the United States yearly. Depending upon the time of the diagnosis and the severity of the condition in a patient, some treatments can be more effective than others.

Aplastic anemia is a unique condition that can have severe implications on the bone marrow and blood cells. When a patient has aplastic anemia and needs to receive treatment, this signifies that their bone marrow has stopped making enough red blood cells, white blood cell and platelets for the body to continue working properly. Typically the cells that the bone marrow does produce are normal, but there aren’t enough of them being made to ensure a healthy existence.

Cause of Aplastic Anemia

Aplastic anemia can vary from moderate, to severe and very severe. For patients with a case of very severe aplastic anemia, there is a high-risk for life-threatening infections and uncontrollable bleeding. 

For unknown reasons, aplastic anemia rates in Asian countries are far higher than in any other country throughout the world and the disease can affect a person of any age, even infants. The reason aplastic anemia can have such a negative impact on the body as a whole is because of the importance of the bone marrow. The bone marrow helps maintain all of the blood cells in the body. Each type of blood cell allows certain functions to occur within the body, such as:

• The red blood cells carry oxygen to every part of the body
• The white blood cells help fight infection
• Platelets help control bleeding

Since each blood cell only lives a small number of days before dying, the body needs to be capable of producing a steady supply of new cells. In most cases, doctors are unsure as to what causes aplastic anemia in patients, though in about 20 percent of patients the disease develops from an inherited disorder or from exposure to toxic chemicals like benzene.

Treatment Options for Aplastic Anemia

Depending upon the severity of the aplastic anemia at the time of diagnosis, various treatments are available. And in some cases, patients may not need treatment. Instead, doctor will just regularly monitor patients and take blood counts in order to ensure the condition doesn’t progress.

For those with severe aplastic anemia, common treatments include:

• Supportive care to keep the patient stable until another treatment can take effect
• Immunosuppresive therapy, where medications are used to suppress the immune system
• Bone marrow or blood transfusions

Bone marrow transplants and blood transfusions are typically the most effective treatments for patients, particularly those 20 years of age and younger. This type of treatment is also most affective in patients with aplastic anemia when the donor is a sibling and has an identical blood and bone marrow match.

Do you need to find out more about aplastic anemia treatments and the legal options available to you and your loved ones? If so, please contact us today to speak with a trustworthy attorney from Burke-Eisner who will give you the support you need and deserve.

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See Also:

• What is Benzene
• Aplastic Anemia

Benzene Leukemia Law Blog