Participating Clinical Centers
Disease Definitions
Please Choose from the Menu below:
|
Aplastic Anemia is a rare, potentially serious and non contagious bone marrow failure disease that occurs when the bone marrow stops making enough blood cells. A person has three major types of blood cells – red cells, white cells, and platelets. Anemia results from reduced red cell production, infections are a result of reduced white cell production, and bleeding results from reduced platelet production. In aplastic anemia the bone marrow is almost empty of blood forming cells (stem cells) and is described as hypoplastic or aplastic (Greek for low- or no- growth). Aplastic anemia can strike any person of any age, gender, or race, anywhere in the world.
Click here for information on Aplastic Anemia from the AA&MDSIF
Join the Contact Registry for this Disorder | Find a Study | Back to Top
Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria (PNH) is a rare but potentially serious and non contagious blood disease that causes the destruction of red blood cells. PNH occurs when a defect develops in the blood forming cells (stem cells) leading to increased destruction (hemolysis) of red blood cells. PNH patients have a tendency to develop anemia and blood clots. The PNH defect can also occur without significant hemolysis or clotting. PNH may occur as an isolated disorder or along with aplastic anemia or MDS. PNH can strike any person of any age, gender or race, anywhere in the world.
Click here for information on Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria (PNH) from the AA&MDSIF
Join the Contact Registry for this Disorder | Find a Study | Back to Top
Large Granular Lymphocyte (LGL) Leukemia is a rare, potentially serious blood disease. People with LGL leukemia have low red blood counts or white blood cell counts. Anemia results from low red blood cell counts. Fever and infections result from low white cell counts. The cause of LGL leukemia is not known. LGL leukemia is most common in people over 60 years of age, but cases have been reported in young adults and children.
Join the Contact Registry for this Disorder | Find a Study | Back to Top
Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS) are rare, potentially serious and non-contagious bone marrow diseases. There are at least five different subtypes of MDS. In MDS, the bone marrow stops making healthy blood cells and instead produces poorly functioning, malformed and immature blood cells. This means that people with MDS can have anemia resulting from too few healthy red blood cells, infection resulting from too few healthy white blood cells, and bleeding resulting from too few healthy platelets. The bone marrow is usually described as hyperplastic or hypercellular, containing increased number of blood forming cells called stem cells. A small percentage of MDS patients have hypoplastic bone marrow making the disease look similar to aplastic anemia. In some cases MDS will progress over time to become acute leukemia. The frequency of MDS increases with age but can also occur in children.
Click here for more information on Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS) from the AA&MDSIF
Join the Contact Registry for this Disorder | Find a Study | Back to Top
Pure Red Cell Aplasia (PRCA) happens when the bone marrow stops making red blood cells, but continues to make white blood cells and platelets. PRCA exists in several forms. The most common form happens when the stem cells that make red blood cells are harmed by a virus or drugs. Another form of the disease, acquired PRCA, is chronic and is associated with other illnesses such as thymomas and autoimmune diseases. The most common cause of PRCA is LGL leukemia (see below).
Join the Contact Registry for this Disorder | Find a Study | Back to Top
Amegakaryocytic Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ATP) is a blood disease that causes very low platelet counts. ATP is possibly due to an immune response against certain stem cells, which are the blood forming cells, in the bone marrow. ATP can appear by itself or along with aplastic anemia, MDS, or lupus.
Join the Contact Registry for this Disorder | Find a Study | Back to Top
Autoimmune Neutropenia is a blood disease that occurs when the white blood cells are destroyed because of an immune response. Fever and infections can result from low white blood cell counts. Patients with autoimmune neutropenia should also be evaluated for LGL leukemia as autoimmune neutropenia may also be seen in this condition. It is most common in infants and young children.
Join the Contact Registry for this Disorder | Find a Study | Back to Top
