Different doctors and different reports will use different definitions for responses. This is my favorite for SAA.
A CR is:
* off cyclosporine or equiv
* transfusion independence
* normocellular marrow
* normal counts for age/gender
A PR is:
* transfusion independence
* HGB increased by >3 or platelets increased by >20k (if previously below 20k)
* not CR
Hematological improvement is:
* may still be transfusion dependent but some significant improvement in counts for at least one cell line.
Non-responders have no change or decrease in blood counts.
I'm not sure what your son's initial values were, but if he is now transfusion independent, he has had some kind of response and that is good! It takes time for the marrow to recover. Hopefully, your son's counts will continue their upward trend
