Pure red cell aplasia enquiry
 

Sir /madam:

Please kindly find the attachment and let me know whether the girl is fit for marriage or not and what is the chance that the problem can repeat again and what is the chance that the child too can be affected if she becomes pregnant?

Hope to hear from you soon.

Thanks & regards,
Naresh

Naresh,

I did some reading to try to find answers for you. I think the answers to your questions depend on whether she had inherited pure red cell aplasia, also called Blackfan Diamond anemia, or whether she had acquired pure red cell aplasia. The medical report doesn't seem to say. If she had acquired pure red cell aplasia then it would help to know whether it was idiopathic (from an unknown cause) or if the cause was identified.

Acquired pure red cell aplasia is usually not inherited or passed to children. In contrast, Blackfan Diamond anemia can result from mutation to specific genes. About half of people with Blackfan-Diamond anemia inherited it from a parent, and they may pass it along to their children.

Pregnancy can stress the bone marrow, so anyone with PRCA should consult medical professionals before planning a pregnancy. This article from 2008 says that hormonal stress in pregnancy can apparently contribute to relapse for people who have had Blackfan Diamond anemia. This article, from about the same time, discusses relapse rates for acquired PRCA but calls for more research. I wasn't able to find a more recent report on relapse rates for someone who had a success recovery years before.

I suggest gather a few more facts about her prior illness, then posing these questions to a doctor who is familiar with pure red cell aplasia.

Neil,
Thank you for the articles. I have passed them along as appropriate.

Silva,
I am 72 years old and still haven't found the perfect girl. One with PRCA seems like a minor problem to me.

If you need more information on Diamond Blackfan, here is a good source.

http://dbafoundation.org/

I am not a dr but I am very familiar w/ blood tests and what not bcse I have had PNH, a stem cell trans, follow ups, A LOT of tests, post and pre, etc etc for over 3 yrs. Yes she obv has a confirmed blood disorder. In my opinion, your 1st concern shd be getting her blood counts normal. You don't want a dodgy immune system in a country like India. White cells and red cells are 1/2 of what they shld be. Hemo is not that bad but shld also be higher. MCH and MCV are also both high, which I assume are related to the disease, cell brk down, etc. I'm guessing that the health care system in India is not the same as here in the US where mid class, and or high income ppl on private insurance or gov subsidized ppl get basically the same care. So whether through supplements or meds to encourage cell growth, or another doctor who offers more treatment options would be the 1st order of business.

I did not notice a white cell deficit. That would indicate that she should be checked for LGL leukemia. That is not a true leukemia, but can me mild and chronic. It often combines with PRCA.