Bone Marrow Failure Disorders
Case Studies
Section Editor
Natasha L. Johnson, MSN, APRN, AOCNP®
Moffitt Cancer Center
Featured Case Study
Management of an Elderly Man With Aplastic Anemia Mistakenly Diagnosed as Immune Thrombocytopenia
Presentation, History, and Testing
The patient, a 77-year-old Hispanic male with a past medical history of benign prostatic hypertrophy, hypertension, and ulcerative colitis, was referred for evaluation of thrombocytopenia by his primary care provider after routine laboratory testing revealed a low platelet count, at about 40,000 per cubic millimeter of blood. An extensive workup revealed the following.
Identification and Management of Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency
Presentation and History
The patient is a 50-year-old female with a past medical history of chronic hemolytic anemia due to pyruvate kinase deficiency (PKD) diagnosed in early childhood. She has post-splenectomy status (asplenic) with subsequent thrombocytosis. She requires red blood cell (RBC) transfusion when her hemoglobin (Hgb) level is < 9 g/dL and is unable to tolerate erythropoiesis-stimulating agents, with a history of reactions. She suffers from iron overload due to frequent RBC transfusions, and for a variety of reasons does not tolerate iron chelation therapy well.
Muscle/Joint Pain and Dark Urine in a 64-Year-Old Man With Aplastic Anemia
Presentation and History
The patient is a 64-year-old male with a past medical history significant for hyperlipidemia; bipolar disorder, for which he has received lithium treatment for the past 5 years; and aplastic anemia successfully treated 5 months ago with antithymocyte globulin (ATG), cyclosporine (CSA), and eltrombopag.
Aplastic Anemia in a Patient With Dry Cough, Easy Bruising, and Flu-like Symptoms
Presentation
A 36-year-old male with no significant past medical history presented to the emergency department with a dry cough and fatigue that had persisted...
