Pure red cell aplasia: three cases responding to immunosuppression.

Successful treatment of three patients with red cell aplasia is presented. No thymoma or other underlying etiology was discovered. An autoimmune disease with intramedullary destruction of red cell precursors was suspected. All patients responded to prednisone and/or immunosuppressive therapy and have maintained normal hemoglobin levels for 3, 7, and 2.5 years without recurrence. The pathogenesis and therapy of red cell aplasia is discussed.