Well Well Well

Question 1

What is the difference between anemia and aplastic anemia?

Answer 1

Anemia: usually due to iron/vitamin deficiency, blood loss, or chronic disease
Aplastic anemia: caused by bone marrow failure due to autoimmune attack, toxins, or radiation
Anemia: mainly red blood cells
Aplastic anemia: all blood cells → red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets
Anemia: mild to moderate
Aplastic anemia: severe and potentially life-threatening

Question 2

What is thrombocytopenia and why is it dangerous?

Answer 2

Thrombocytopenia: condition where a person has too few platelets in the blood
Increased bleeding risk: platelets essential for blood clotting → low platelet count → the blood cannot clot properly
Easy bruising: small bumps → bruises or purple spots (petechiae) on the skin
Spontaneous bleeding: unprovoked bleeding → nosebleeds, gum bleeding, internal bleeding
Life-threatening complications: bleeding→ in brain, digestive tract → fatal without urgent treatment

Question 3

What is leukopenia, and what are its implications for the patient?

Answer 3

Leukopenia: abnormally low white blood cell count in the blood
Weakened immune system: fewer white blood cell → body less able to defend itself against foreign bodies
Increased risk of infection: minor infections → serious, life threatening → patients → experience frequent, prolonged, unusual infections
Delayed healing: fewer immune cells → slower response to infections, injuries → delay recovery

Question 4

How does cyclosporine work to treat aplastic anemia?

Answer 4

Cyclosporine → blocks protein (calcineurin) → needed for t-cell signalling → preventing the immune system → producing harmful inflammatory signals
Helps stop → autoimmune destruction → of hematopoietic (blood - forming) stem cells in bone marrow
Allows bone marrow recovery→ with the immune attack suppressed → stem cells → recover → start producing red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets

Question 5

Why are multiple immunosuppressants used together?

Answer 5

Enhance treatment effectiveness: different drugs → target different parts of the immune system → stronger, more comprehensive suppression of the autoimmune attack on the bone marrow
Increase response rate: some patients → may not respond fully → one drug alone → combination increase chance→ bone. marrow recovery

Question 6

What are the potential side effects of immunosuppressive therapy?

Answer 6

Increased risk of infections: suppressed immune function → patients more vulnerable → bacterial, viral, fungal infections