Treatment of Aplastic Anemia with Antilymphocyte Globulin and Methylprednisolone with or without Cyclosporine

Abstract

Immunosuppression is the most effective treatment for patients with aplastic anemia, except for bone marrow transplantation. The best results are achieved with antilymphocyte globulin or cyclosporine. Patients have been treated successfully with a combination of both agents, but there has been no controlled evaluation of its efficacy. We conducted a randomized, multicenter trial in 84 patients not eligible for bone marrow transplantation, comparing treatment with antilymphocyte globulin and methylprednisolone (41 patients — control group) with antilymphocyte globulin, methylprednisolone, and cyclosporine (43 patients — the cyclosporine group).