Medical Treatment for Diamond Blackfan Anemia

Summary

Diamond Blackfan anemia (DBA) is a condition in which the bone marrow is underdeveloped. DBA is considered a congenital disease, meaning patients are born with it. In DBA there is a lack of cells that give rise to red blood cells. The other elements produced in the bone marrow, such as white blood cells and platelets, are normal. Standard treatments used for this disorder such as steroids and bone marrow transplants are associated with failure, relapse, side-effects, increased morbidity, and even death. Two drugs, antithymocyte globulin (ATG) and cyclosporin have been used to treat DBA, but have only provided occasional responses. No study has ever combined these two drugs for the treatment of DBA. This study is designed to explore the combined use of ATG and cyclosporine as a rational approach to the treatment of DBA.

Timeline

Start

1998-07

Primary completion

—

Completion

2005-07

Publications

• Background Casadevall N, Croisille L, Auffray I, Tchernia G, Coulombel L. Age-related alterations in erythroid and granulopoietic progenitors in Diamond-Blackfan anaemia. Br J Haematol. 1994 Jun;87(2):369-75. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2141.1994.tb04924.x.
• Background Ball SE, McGuckin CP, Jenkins G, Gordon-Smith EC. Diamond-Blackfan anaemia in the U.K.: analysis of 80 cases from a 20-year birth cohort. Br J Haematol. 1996 Sep;94(4):645-53. doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2141.1996.d01-1839.x.
• Background Halperin DS, Freedman MH. Diamond-blackfan anemia: etiology, pathophysiology, and treatment. Am J Pediatr Hematol Oncol. 1989 Winter;11(4):380-94.

Drugs

Indications