Aplastic anemia-A disorder in which the bone marrow greatly decreases or stops production of blood cells.
Children with aplastic anemia are especially susceptible to infection.
Common underlying disorders include leukemia, drug toxicity, or aplastic anemia, all of which lead to decreased or defective production of platelets in the bone marrow.
Having a history of diseases that damage the bone marrow, such as aplastic anemia, or a history of cancers of the lymphatic system puts people at a high risk for developing acute leukemias.
In cases where the patient is either immunocompromised or immunosuppressed, a life-threatening aplastic crisis can occur.
Leukemia and aplastic anemia can result in a low platelet count because of decreased production of platelets in the bone marrow.
Patients who have leukemia, polycythemia vera, or aplastic anemia are given periodic platelet count tests to monitor their health.
People who have aplastic anemia have bone marrow that just stops working right.
Sometimes curable by bone marrow transplant, but potentially fatal, aplastic anemia is characterized by decreased production of red and white blood cells and platelets (disc-shaped cells that are a key component of blood coagulation).
Treatment for aplastic anemia may involve blood transfusions and bone marrow transplantation to replace malfunctioning cells with healthy ones.