What is the treatment of choice for a patient older than 40 years old with aplastic anemia?
a. Hematopoietic stem cell transplant
b. Antibiotic agents
c. Antithymocyte globulin (ATG)
d. Erythropoietin
ANS: C
The treatment of choice for patients older than 40 years old with aplastic anemia is
ATG in combination with cyclosporine (CSA). ATG decreases the number of activated T cells, and CSA inhibits their function (thus suppressing the autoimmune suppression of stem cells when this is the cause of the aplasia).
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