Successful bone marrow transplantation with rabbit anti-human thymocyte globulin in aplastic anemia. Report of a case previously treated with equine anti-human lymphocyte globulin.

Bone marrow transplantation is widely accepted as the first line therapy for patients with severe aplastic anemia. Patients with less severe forms of aplastic anemia are treated with immunosuppressive agents, hematopoietic growth factors or androgenic steroids. The use of rabbit anti-human thymocyte globulin allowed us to successfully transplant in a patient with a moderately severe form who once failed to respond to all conservative treatment including equine anti-human lymphocyte globulin. We propose that, given the availability of rabbit anti-human thymocyte globulin, marrow transplantation should be considered in non-severe aplastic anemia patients who are refractory to equine anti-human lymphocyte globulin.