Acquired pure red cell aplasia in a patient with ankylosing spondylitis- a case report and literature review

Abstract

Rationale: Acquired pure red cell aplasia (PRCA) can be a secondary response to some autoimmune disorders. However, there is no data about the possibility of acquired PRCA being a secondary complication to ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Patient concerns: A 42-year-old male who had a history of AS for 14 years. He got serious anemia 17 months ago. Bone marrow smear indicated PRCA. Diagnose: He was diagnosed with acquired PRCA secondary to AS. Intervention: The combination treatment of immunosuppressants with hematopoiesis stimuli was successful. Outcomes: The patient recovered from PRCA, and showed improvement in his AS. Lessons: Acquired PRCA can be secondary to AS. Cyclosporine is effective in controlling AS arthritis syndrome and in addition to immunosuppressants, promotion of erythroid hematopoiesis is equally important.

Idiopathic pure red cell aplasia: A case series from India

“…Shao et al, have reported that acquired PRCA can be secondary to ankylosing spondylitis, which is an autoimmune disorder and combination treatment of immunosuppressants with hematopoiesis stimuli is effective in these patients. 10 One of our patients had a history of ankylosing spondylitis.…”

A Case of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Presenting as Pure Red Cell Aplasia

“…Acquired PRCA has been reported in a variety of autoimmune disorders such as SLE, ankylosing spondylitis and rheumatoid arthritis 8 . The pathogenesis of secondary acquired PRCA in autoimmune diseases is generally considered to be immunologic, though not always antibody mediated.…”