What to eat for aplastic anemia

Written by Li Fang Fang
Hematology
Updated on September 24, 2024
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Patients with aplastic anemia should eat light, easily digestible foods, and soft diet, avoiding too hard foods, and foods with spines or bones to prevent these foods from scratching the mucous membrane of the digestive tract and causing gastrointestinal bleeding. Additionally, patients with aplastic anemia must also take medications to control the progression of the disease, the related medications mainly include immunosuppressants, such as cyclosporine, as well as hematopoietic stimulants and traditional Chinese medicine formulations. Hematopoietic drugs include androgens, such as danazol and stanozolol, etc., and traditional Chinese medicines include compound alumite pills, rejuvenating blood tablets, etc. (Please use specific medications under the guidance of a doctor, and do not self-medicate.)

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Written by Li Fang Fang
Hematology
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Aplastic anemia is caused by how?

Aplastic anemia currently still has an uncertain etiology. However, clinical observations have suggested that chemotherapy drugs, viral infections, and radiation exposure might be related to the occurrence and development of aplastic anemia. Regardless of the cause, these factors all involve abnormalities in immune function. Abnormal immune function leads to the occurrence and development of aplastic anemia. Therefore, immunosuppressive therapy is often effective for patients with aplastic anemia in clinical settings. (Medication use should be conducted under the guidance of a professional doctor.)

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Written by Zhang Xiao Le
Hematology
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The differences between aplastic anemia and megaloblastic anemia.

Aplastic anemia is a type of bone marrow failure syndrome where patients can present with reduced total blood cells in the peripheral blood, without enlargement of the liver, spleen, or lymph nodes, and an increased ratio of peripheral blood lymphocytes. Bone marrow indicates low regeneration, reduced hematopoietic tissue, and increased non-hematopoietic tissue, with the condition arising from changes in the bone marrow microenvironment leading to a reduction in blood cells. Megaloblastic anemia, also known as nutritional anemia, is primarily caused by a lack of folate and vitamin B12, leading to a red blood cell synthesis disorder and resulting in anemia. Severe megaloblastic anemia can also present with reduced total blood cells. However, the red blood cells typically exhibit macrocytic anemia. In contrast, aplastic anemia generally presents with normocytic anemia.

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Written by Li Fang Fang
Hematology
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Is aplastic anemia serious?

Whether aplastic anemia is severe depends on the specific circumstances of the aplastic anemia. Aplastic anemia can be divided into acute aplastic anemia and chronic aplastic anemia. Among them, acute aplastic anemia has a sudden onset, more severe clinical symptoms, and a higher mortality rate, so it is relatively more severe. Chronic aplastic anemia has a slower onset, and the degree of decrease in blood cells is relatively mild, also making it less severe. However, in cases of acute aplastic anemia, if intensive immunotherapy is administered, the effectiveness can reach 60%-70%, and it can be cured through hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

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Written by Li Fang Fang
Hematology
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What medicine is used to treat aplastic anemia?

Aplastic anemia is divided into acute aplastic anemia and chronic aplastic anemia. Patients with acute aplastic anemia require intensified immunotherapy or allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation from a sibling match. Intensified immunotherapy involves the simultaneous use of anti-thymocyte globulin (ATG) and cyclosporine. The main treatments for chronic aplastic anemia are immunosuppressive therapy and stimulative hematopoiesis therapy. Immunotherapy primarily involves oral administration of cyclosporine; stimulative hematopoiesis therapy may include oral administration of Chinese patent medicines such as Zao Zeng Xue Pian, and danazol, an anabolic steroid. (Medications should be used under the guidance of a doctor based on the specific circumstances.)

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Written by Li Fang Fang
Hematology
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How long can one live with aplastic anemia?

The lifespan of patients with aplastic anemia depends on the type and the effectiveness of the treatment. Aplastic anemia is classified into acute aplastic anemia and chronic aplastic anemia. In cases of acute aplastic anemia, cure is possible through intensified immunotherapy or hematopoietic stem cell transplantation; however, without aggressive treatment, the survival period is relatively short, generally not exceeding one year. Chronic aplastic anemia, on the other hand, has a longer medical history, and patients can often live for ten to twenty years or more. However, throughout this period, ongoing transfusions of red blood cells and platelets are required to support treatment.