AUTOIMMUNE NEUTROPENIA OF INFANCY AND EARLY-CHILDHOOD

Forty-one children were identified with autoimmune neutropenia of infa ncy and early childhood (absolute neutrophil count [ANC] less than 500 /mul and demonstrable serum antineutrophil antibodies). There were 21 boys and 20 girls; the median age at diagnosis was 11 months (range 5- 38 months). No life-threatening infections occurred. There was a gradu al upward trend in ANC in all patients over many months, with 87% havi ng an ANC >1000/mul by 24 months from diagnosis. Among various clinica l and laboratory parameters analyzed statistically, only younger age a t diagnosis was associated with earlier neutrophil recovery. There was no association between degree or duration of neutropenia and sex, rac e, antibody reactivity, or presence of serious illness at diagnosis.