Hepatitis-associated aplastic anemia: description of a new case

Hepatitis-associated aplastic anemia is an only recently recognised syndrome. We present a case whereby a month after an episode of fever, a 17-year-old boy was recovered with liver enzyme elevation and circulating platelet reduction. All the acute viral hepatitis markers were negative. After bone marrow aspiration a severe aplastic anemia was diagnosed and all the findings were consistent with hepatitis-associated aplastic anemia. The disorder was initially treated with glucocorticoids and platelet transfusion, obtaining the normalization of the liver enzymes but worsening of the aplastic anemia. An HLA-identical related marrow donor was not found. The patient responded to immunosuppressive treatment but died of multi-organ failure due to severe sepsis.