Aplastic anemia is a serious medical problem, in which the bone marrow stops the production of new blood cells. It can occur at any age and due to various medical conditions. Aplastic anemia can occur abruptly or as a gradual process. The person having this disorder will soon become tired and may have symptoms of irregular heartbeat and shortness of breath. The person becomes prone to frequent infection and bleeding. It can be treated by blood transfusion and stem cell transplant for producing fresh blood cells.
Symptoms :
Aplastic anemia can cause extreme tiredness due to loss of blood cells. Some people may suffer from rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath and unexplained weight loss. Due to lack of immunity, the body becomes prone to frequent infections. The person may get frequent bruises, cuts and nosebleeds commonly. Further the skin becomes pale and rashes may develop. This condition can occur suddenly for some people and it would occur as a gradual process. In rare cases aplastic anemia can cause death.
Causes :
Bone marrow is responsible for the production of blood cells and any damage to the bone marrow can hinder the formation of fresh blood cells. Bone marrow produces new stem cells which in turn form other cells. Certain factors or medical conditions can affect the bone marrow and stop its normal function. The bone marrow of people affected with aplastic anemia becomes hypoplastic (empty) and does not produce any fresh blood cells.
Exposure to toxic substances or benzene, prolonged usage of certain drugs given for managing rheumatoid arthritis and undergoing chemotherapy can affect the stem cells present in the bone marrow leading to aplastic anemia. Certain types of autoimmune disorders and severe viral infection like hepatitis an affect the bone marrow arresting the production of new blood cells. Some women may develop aplastic anemia during pregnancy when the body’s own immune system would attack the bone marows. For some people, there is no known factor that causes aplastic anemia. For reasons not known, they suffer from this disorder. Aplastic anemia is similar to that of myelodysplastic syndrome, wherein the bone marrow produces underdeveloped blood cells.