Selective effect of cyclosporine monotherapy for pure red cell aplasia notassociated with granular lymphocyte-proliferative disorders

Morphological characteristics of lymphocytes and the response to cyclospori ne treatment have revealed some unique patients with pure red cell aplasia, Lymphocytes from these patients consisted mainly of non-granulated lymphoc ytes, All of the patients were successfully managed by cyclosporine monothe rapy irrespective of prior treatment. A reduction in lymphocyte mass was no t a prerequisite for the remission of pure red cell aplasia, and responses occurred within 1 month from the start of therapy, Clonal T-cell proliferat ion was detected in four patients, which raised the possibility of idiopath ic pure red cell aplasia being associated with a clonal proliferation of T cells. An examination of the lymphocytes in patients with pure red cell apl asia could potentially be used to plan better therapeutic modalities and as sess prognosis.