How Is Aplastic Anemia Classified?
Doctors divide aplastic anemia into 3 groups: • Moderate • Severe • Very severe If you have moderate aplastic anemia: • You may have low blood cells counts, but not as low as with severe aplastic anemia. • You may have few or no symptoms. • Your doctor may not recommend treatment. Instead, your doctor may just keep an eye on your blood counts. • Your condition may stay the same for many years. If you have severe aplastic anemia: The growing cells in your bone marrow (cellularity) occupy less than 25 percent of your bone marrow. Normal bone marrow has a cellularity of around 100 minus your age in years. At least 2 of the following are true: • Your neutrophil count is less than 500 cells per microliter (<500/mm3). Neutrophils are a type of white blood cell that fight bacterial infections. • Your platelet count is less than 20,000 per microliter (<20,000/mm3). • Your Reticulocyte (young red blood cell) count is less than 20,000 per microliter (<20,000/mm3). If you have very severe aplasti
