Pure white cell aplasia (PWCA) with an inhibitor against colony-forming unit of granulocyte-macrophage (CFU-GM)]

We reported here a case of pure white cell aplasia (PWCA). A 23-year-old man was admitted to our hospital in September 1989 because of agranulocytosis, fever, and anal pain. He had no history of toxic-drug exposure or blood transfusion. Laboratory studies were all within the normal range except white blood cell count of 2,300/microliters with no neutrophils and low serum IgA level (28 mg/dl). Bone marrow examination showed hypocellular with erythroid predominance and no granulocyte maturation beyond the myelocyte. Complement-dependent suppression of autologous and heterologous granulocyte-macrophage colony-forming units by the patient's serum could be demonstrated. Though corticosteroid administration was ineffective, neutropenia improved by plasmapheresis. Furthermore, recombinant granulocyte colony stimulating factor (rG-CSF) could release him from persistent bacterial infection of anal fistula by transient improvement of neutropenia. These findings suggest a humoral autoimmune mechanism for the pathogenesis of PWCA and the effectiveness of rG-CSF for the patient with severe infections.