Immediate adverse reactions to horse antithymocyte globulin: A 10-year single-center experience

Abstract

Aplastic anemia is characterized by the replacement of hematopoietic progenitor cells by fat in the bone marrow resulting in pancytopenia that, in its severe form, can be fatal without treatment.1 Immunosuppression by infusing animal-sourced antithymocyte globulin polyclonal antibodies is an effective treatment approach, with horse antithymocyte globulin (hATG) presently being part of the first-line therapy for (1) severe aplastic anemia patients who lack a matched sibling donor, (2) all severe aplastic anemia patients ages 35 to 50 years, and (3) nonsevere aplastic anemia requiring treatment.