Addt'l autoimmune disorder on the side?

[HumanRubble]

Has anyone experienced other, seemingly unrelated autoimmune disorders, before their AA diagnosis?

My robustly healthy child had two bouts with pleurisy (following colds) in the year before her AA dx. I had always thought pleurisy was a disease of the elderly. Her pediatrician could not offer any explanation for why she was getting it, other than to say that her body was over-reacting to the presence of the cold virus. Her CBCs at that time were perfectly normal.

Since the AA dx, I have read that pleurisy also has an autoimmune connection. That makes me wonder if the pleurisy and AA are just two different venues of the body's war on itself? Has anyone else had something similar happen?

[mscrzy1]

I don't really know if pleurisy could be connected or not. I could be wrong, but from what I understand pleurisy can be brought on by other things, such as cold viruses and pneumonia besides just autoimmune diseases, so I would think that it would be hard to draw a connection. I don't know, though. AA can be brought on by so many indeterminable factors.

I know that I've developed a weird condition called Reynaud's syndrome, which is a vasospastic disorder, since the decline of my counts this second round. My doctor isn't sure if it's connected either. I have read a couple of studies that listed it as a possible symptom of MDS, but it doesn't seem to be connected to AA in any way.

[Kevin D]

My nine year old daughter was diagnosed with AA last week. For the past year, she has been treated for Lichen sclerosus, a rare skin disease for which the cause is not known, but is believed to result from an overactive immune system. So she has two rare diseases for which the causes are "unknown" but both belived to be autoimmune related. Hard to believe it is a coincidence.

[Neil Cuadra]

Originally Posted by Kevin D

My nine year old daughter was diagnosed with AA last week. For the past year, she has been treated for Lichen sclerosus, a rare skin disease for which the cause is not known, but is believed to result from an overactive immune system. So she has two rare diseases for which the causes are "unknown" but both belived to be autoimmune related. Hard to believe it is a coincidence.

Kevin,

When they refer to the suspected cause as an overactive immune system, I think of it as a confused immune system, one that attacks the body's own cells. That can be a cause of both lichen sclerosus and aplastic anemia.

Did your daughter require treatment for lichen sclerosus? What treatment does her doctor recommend for the AA? I think you're right to assume that there's a connection between the two conditions, and if they share a root cause then perhaps treatment for AA will be effective against lichen sclerosus as well.

[Kevin D]

The lichen sclerosus has been treated with a topical steroid cream. It has kept it under control and lessened the effect, but not eliminated it.

Our other two kids had their blood taken two days ago. If we have a match they intend to do BMT, if not, ATG. Assuming the AA treatment is effective, I would be surprised if it is not also effective against the lichen sclerosus, as I am convinced the underlying problem with her immune system is the cause of both.

By the way, I have read several hundred posts on this forum in the last several days as part of my AA self-education process. Very informative and helpful info from a lot of people.

[rschem]

I was DX with Saa aug.2008.I am 63 yrs old partilly recovered.I was looking at my baby book recently and found it intresting that my mom said I had 'low blood"at @ 5yrs old.I wonder if I have had low blood all my life.When I was in my late teens and early 20s actually all my life I needed my sleep more than most people.At least 8-10 hrs.I wonder if this is related to aplastic anemia.My DR has me on 250mg. cyclosporne and doesn't want to reduce it .

[Susy]

Interesting question regarding any prior auto-immune issues.
I was diagnosed with LGL Leukemia in July 2009, due to pancytopenia and low ANC. Was treated with prednison & methotrexate, cyclosporine, and then cytoxan in Aug. 2010. My need for transfusions went from needing 2 units every 8 weeks, to needing 2 units every 6 weeks once I started on the cytoxan.
All counts dropped drastically, my ANC was .300, and I got pnemonia in Oct. '10. Went back to the Mayo clinic for another bone marrow biopsy, and was then given the SAA diagnosis and immediately went through the ATG treatment Dec '10.
My counts are low but stable. Last platelet transfusion Dec. 16th - last blood transfusion Jan. 21 '11. Hgb has been hovering around 8.4 - platelets have shot up to 50.
Doctors are still scratching their heads if I still have LGLL, or if I was mis-diagnosed and had AA all along. I wonder (though I am not a doctor, don't play one on t.v - just visit one on a bi-monthly basis) if the cytoxan had anything to do with my SAA?
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