Objective: To compare clinical features and therapeutic response of patients with aplastic anemia with and without cytogenetic abnormalities.
Methods: Clinical features of 133 patients with successful chromosomal analysis were retrospectively studied, and therapeutic response between patients with and without cytogenetic abnormalities was compared.
Results: Cytogenetic abnormalities were found in 9 patients, which included trisomy 8 (4 cases), monosomy 7 (2 cases) and Xq- (1 case), 1q- (1 case) and 7q- (1 case). No significant difference was detected between patients with or without cytogenetic abnormalities in terms of age (50 vs. 58, P=0.337), sex ratio (male 55.56% vs. 62.10%, female 44.44% vs. 37.90%, P=0.762), or episode of acute aplastic anemia (44.44% vs. 37.10%, P=0.728). Patients with cytogenetic abnormalities had a tendency towards poorer rate of therapeutic response, which was however not significantly different from those without (55.56% vs. 79.03%, P=0.116). All of the 4 patients with +8 responded to treatment, whilst none of those with -7 or 7q- did.
Conclusion: No significant difference was found between aplastic anemia patients with or without cytogenetic abnormalities in terms of clinical features and therapeutic response. Patients with trisomy 8 seem to have a favorable response towards treatment.