Aplastic anemia is a severe condition where the bone marrow fails to produce essential blood cells. Though a rare condition, this affects many children across the country. The condition leaves a person fatigued and more prone to infections and uncontrolled bleeding.
Aplastic anemia can develop at any age. It can occur suddenly, or it can come on slowly and worsen over time. It can be mild or severe. Aplastic anemia can be short-lived, or it can become chronic.
Recently, a 10-year-old boy named Abdullah Harnekar, faced a life-threatening condition after being diagnosed with severe aplastic anemia. His condition required frequent blood and platelet transfusions every fortnight. Abdullah’s family, aghast at this development, had the dilemma of whether to go for immunosuppressive therapy or opt for bone marrow transplantation.
Dr Priti Mehta, senior haematoma Oncology and BMT consultant at Narayana Health SRCC Children’s Hospital in Mumbai, conducted the procedure to save his life, after she found a haploidentical (half-match) donor in Abdullah’s elder brother.
The brother underwent a T-replete stem cell transplant, an economical procedure that eliminates the need for costly T depletion kits, saving the family lakhs of rupees. Dr Mehta and her team made Abdullah’s recovery remarkable. After spending one month in the hospital, he was discharged and has been thriving at home for the past two months with no signs of graft vs. host disease.
“We were scared and uncertain about the future. But Dr Mehta and her team gave us hope and guided us through every step of the process,” said Abdullah’s father.”
This case showcases the importance of seeking advanced medical treatments like haploidentical transplants, which can be performed economically and successfully. Dr Mehta emphasises, “In today’s day and age, with proper training and resources, we can offer the best possible care to every child, ensuring they live healthy lives.”
Modern treatment produces a five-year survival rate that exceeds 85%, with younger age associated with higher survival.
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What is aplastic anemia?
Stem cells in the bone marrow produce blood cells — red cells, white cells and platelets. In aplastic anemia, stem cells are damaged. As a result, the bone marrow is either empty (aplastic) or contains few blood cells (hypoplastic). Aplastic anemia symptoms can include fatigue, shortness of breath, rapid or irregular heart rate, pale skin, frequent or prolonged infections, unexplained or easy bruising, nosebleeds and bleeding gums, prolonged bleeding from cuts, skin rash, dizziness, headache, fever.
The most common cause of aplastic anemia is from your immune system attacking the stem cells in your bone marrow. Other factors that can injure bone marrow and affect blood cell production include radiation and chemotherapy treatments, exposure to toxic chemicals, use of certain drugs, autoimmune disorders, a viral infection and/or pregnancy.
Some people with aplastic anemia also have a rare disorder known as paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria, which causes red blood cells to break down too soon. This condition can lead to aplastic anemia, or aplastic anemia can evolve into paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria. Fanconi’s anemia is a rare, inherited disease that leads to aplastic anemia.
Children born with it tend to be smaller than average and have birth defects, such as underdeveloped limbs. The disease is diagnosed with the help of blood tests.
Prevention
There’s no prevention for most cases of aplastic anemia. Avoiding exposure to insecticides, herbicides, organic solvents, paint removers and other toxic chemicals might are the best you can do to at least lower your risk of getting the disease.
Living with aplastic anemia
It is important to keep healthy if you are having aplastic anemia or being treated for it. It is also advisable to take some precautions to be able to live a better life, which may include, avoiding high-contact activities, protecting yourself from viruses and germs, getting adequate rest, eating a healthy, well-cooked and homely food and getting regular exercise. It is also important to have the necessary medicines in time and to keep in touch with your caregiver.
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