Biomedicine Hub (Dec 2020)

Infantile Pyknocytosis: End-Tidal CO, %Micro-R Measurements, Next-Generation Sequencing, and Transfusion Avoidance with Darbepoetin

  • Timothy M. Bahr,
  • Mari C. Knudsen,
  • Michell Lozano-Chinga,
  • Archana M. Agarwal,
  • Jessica A. Meznarich,
  • Robin K. Ohls,
  • Robert D. Christensen

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1159/000511388
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 5, no. 3
pp. 1 – 8

Abstract

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Infantile pyknocytosis is a rare, self-limited, hemolytic condition of unknown pathogenesis. It is diagnosed when a neonate with Coombs-negative hemolytic anemia has abundant pyknocytes and a characteristic clinical course after other hemolytic disorders has been excluded. Previous reports suggest that transfusions might be avoidable in this condition by administering recombinant erythropoietin. We cared for a patient with this disorder where we employed novel diagnostics and therapeutics. Despite these, and a good outcome free of transfusions, we continue to consider the condition to be idiopathic.

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