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Acquired pure megakaryocytic aplasia is a rare disorder defined by severe thrombocytopenia with no other hematologic abnormalities and absent, or severely decreased marrow megakaryocytes. The etiology may be immune suppression of megakaryocyte development. Two patients are described who both responded rapidly to a combination of antithymocyte globulin and cyclosporine and who remain in remission 13-20 months after discontinuation of cyclosporine. This regimen is well described for treatment of aplastic anemia and may also be effective for acquired pure megakaryocytic aplasia.

We present a case of a patient who developed all manifestations of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura-hemolytic uremic syndrome (TTP-HUS) acutely following treatment of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL, Sezary syndrome) with deoxycoformycin (pentostatin). Symptoms and signs included severe thrombocytopenia and microangiopathic hemolytic anemia; hallucinations, confusion and disorientation; oliguric acute renal failure requiring hemodialysis; and fever. No other etiology for these symptoms and signs was present. Complete recovery followed treatment for one month with plasma exchange and glucocorticoids. During the succeeding 20 months she has remained well and her CTCL remains stable on no further treatment. This case and two previously published cases suggest that acute and severe TTP-HUS may be a dose-dependent toxicity of deoxycoformycin (pentostatin)., (Copyright 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.)