Hodgkin lymphoma patients have an increased incidence of idiopathic acquired aplastic anemia

[Pure red cell aplasia: Diagnosis, classification and treatment]

Pure red cell aplasia (PRCA) is a rare anemia characterised by profound reticulocytopenia caused by a marked reduction in bone marrow erythroblasts, without abnormalities in other blood lineages. Blackfan-Diamond anemia is an inherited ribosomopathy responsible for a hereditary form of PRCA. Acquired PRCA are separated in primary and secondary forms, including Parvovirus B19 infection, thymoma, lymphoproliferative disorders, autoimmune diseases (lupus) and drug-induced PRCA. The pathophysiology of PRCA is not fully understood and involves both humoral and T lymphocyte autoreactive cells. In Parvovirus B19-related PRCA, treatment is based on polyvalent immunoglobulins. Thymectomy for thymoma is mandatory but results in prolonged remission in a limited number of cases. The therapeutic strategy is based on expert opinion: corticosteroids in monotherapy provide few sustained responses. The choice of an additional immunosuppressant drug is guided by the presence of an underlying disease. In most cases, cyclosporine A is the first choice providing the best response rate but requires a concentration monitoring (150 to 250 ng/mL). The second choice is cyclophosphamide in large granular lymphocyte leukaemia. Sirolimus (mTOR inhibitor) seems to be a promising option especially in refractory cases. Transfusion independence is the main objective. If the patient receives numerous red blood cell transfusions (> 20 packs), iron overload assessment is crucial to initiate an iron chelation. A retrospective and prospective national cohort (EPIC-F) has been set up and is now available to include each case of PRCA to improve the knowledge of this disease and to optimize the therapeutic strategy.

Autoimmune Complications in Hematologic Neoplasms

Autoimmune cytopenias (AICy) and autoimmune diseases (AID) can complicate both lymphoid and myeloid neoplasms, and often represent a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. While autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) and immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) are well known, other rarer AICy (autoimmune neutropenia, aplastic anemia, and pure red cell aplasia) and AID (systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, vasculitis, thyroiditis, and others) are poorly recognized. This review analyses the available literature of the last 30 years regarding the occurrence of AICy/AID in different onco-hematologic conditions. The latter include chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), lymphomas, multiple myeloma, myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS), chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML), myeloproliferative neoplasms, and acute leukemias. On the whole, AICy are observed in up to 10% of CLL and with higher frequencies in certain subtypes of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, whilst they occur in less than 1% of low-risk MDS and CMML. AID are described in up to 30% of myeloid and lymphoid patients, including immune-mediated hemostatic disorders (acquired hemophilia, thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, and anti-phospholipid syndrome) that may be severe and fatal. Additionally, AICy/AID are found in about 10% of patients receiving hematopoietic stem cell transplant or treatment with new checkpoint inhibitors. Besides the diagnostic difficulties, these AICy/AID may complicate the clinical management of already immunocompromised patients.

Severe Aplastic Anemia as First Manifestation of Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma

Autoimmune cytopenia, a known paraneoplastic complication of lymphoid neoplasms, may occur before, concurrently, at relapse, or even years after completion of lymphoma treatment. In the case of Hodgkin lymphoma (HL), it is thought that immune dysregulation, typical of this neoplasm, may be involved in the genesis of these manifestations. We report a 57-year-old male presenting with stage IIIA, International Prognostic Score (IPS) 4, nodular sclerosis HL, and severe AA (SAA) confirmed on the histologic exam of the bone marrow that showed severe marrow hypoplasia due to a decrease in the elements of the three cell linages with left shift of the myeloid maturation. Immunosuppression with steroids and cyclosporine A was started. Eltrombopag and G-CSF were also added. In spite of prompt initiation of immunosuppressive therapy, the patient presented an unfavorable outcome with progressive pancytopenia and severe acute cerebral hemorrhagic event. The patient died 59 days after admission. Although autoimmune disorders are described in HL, its concomitant diagnosis is extremely rare. Our case shows a rare instance of SAA as the first manifestation of HL.

Aplastic anemia in a patient with CVID due to NFKB1 haploinsufficiency

Acquired aplastic anemia (AA) is a life-threatening bone marrow failure caused by an autoimmune cytotoxic T lymphocyte attack on hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. Factors contributing to aberrant autoimmune activation in AA include a deficit of T regulatory cells and high levels of inflammatory cytokines. Several acquired conditions of immune dysregulation and genetic polymorphisms in inflammatory cytokines and human leukocyte antigen genes have been linked to an increased risk of AA. However, AA has not been reported in patients with Mendelian disorders of immune regulation. Here we report a patient with familial common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) caused by a pathogenic variant in NFKB1, who developed AA as an adult. The patient had a difficult clinical course and was unable to tolerate standard AA therapy with cyclosporine A and eltrombopag, with complications attributed in part to the effect of cyclosporine A on NF-κB signaling. Our case suggests a novel link between genetic disorders of immune regulation and AA and highlights the importance of recognizing inherited autoimmunity syndromes in AA patients for the selection of optimal therapy and prognostic counseling.