Secondary aplastic anemia

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Blood types

Bone marrow aspiration

Secondary aplastic anemia is a failure of the bone marrow to make enough blood cells. All blood cell types are affected.

Anemia - secondary aplastic; Acquired aplastic anemia

Secondary aplastic anemia is caused by injury to blood stem cells. Normal blood stem cells divide and turn into all blood cell types, mainly white blood cells, red blood cells, and platelets. When blood stem cells are injured, there is a reduction in all blood cell types.

This condition can be caused by:

• Certain drugs
• Chemotherapy
• Disorders present at birth (congenital disorders)
• Drug therapy to suppress the immune system
• Pregnancy
• Radiation therapy
• Toxins such as benzene or arsenic

When the cause is unknown, it is referred to as idiopathic aplastic anemia. In about half of all cases, no cause can be found.

The disease may be acute or chronic.

Review Date: 01/31/2010
Reviewed By: Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Medical Director, MEDEX Northwest Division of Physician Assistant Studies, University of Washington School of Medicine; and Yi-Bin Chen, MD, Leukemia/Bone Marrow Transplant Program, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org).

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