Aplastic anemia and Graves' Disease

Posted by Elaine Moore Mar 7, 2006

The article, Remission of aplastic anemia indiced by treatment for Graves' disease in a pediatric patient, by PK Das, D Wherrett and Y Dror was published in Feb 2006 in Pediatric Blood Cancer.

Aplastic anemia has long been associated with immune system toxicity resulting from various chemicals, including the antibiotic chloramphenicol. In recent years, aplastic anemia has been regarded as primarily being mediated by T-cell autoimmunity. In the case reported, the child was first diagnosed with Graves' disease and then began treatment with anti-thyroid drugs.

Aplastic anemia was later diagnosed and demonstrated to not be related to the anti-thyroid drug therapy. Because patients with one autoimmune disease are more likely to develop a second autoimmune disease than other people, the researchers concluded that both diseases were caused by an autoimmune process.

As the hyperthyroidism in Graves' disease showed signs of remission, the aplastic anemia also resolved. No conventional treatment specific for aplastic anemia was used. The child remains in remission from both diseases.

The lesson here is that healing the source of the disease, the autoimmune process, rather than treating the organs that are affected has far-reaching benefits.