Treatment of aplastic anemia with antilymphocyte globulin, high-dose methylprednisolone and androgen

Twenty-seven patients with aplastic anemia (20 severe: 7 moderate) were treated with combined immunosuppression consisting of antilymphocyte globulin (ALG: Ahlbulin, Green Cross Co., Osaka, Japan) and high-dose methylprednisolone. Danazol or meptiostane was administered concurrently for at least 3 months. Ten of 27 patients had sustained improvement in hematopoiesis within 3 months of treatment. Three patients with hematological response had a recurrence of pancytopenia 12-36 months after the combined immunosuppressive therapy. Six patients died due to fungal pneumonia (2), hepatic failure (2), interstitial pneumonitis (1) and complication following allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (1). By life table analysis, the survival rate for all patients was 76 +/- 8% at 4 years, with 70 +/- 10% survival rate for patients with severe aplastic anemia and 100% for patients with moderate aplastic anemia. The factors predicting the good response to the therapy were a longer interval from diagnosis to the therapy and higher counts of platelet and reticulocyte at admission.