Congenital autoimmune neutropenia in two premature neonates

Pediatrics. 2001 Jul;108(1):181-4. doi: 10.1542/peds.108.1.181.

Abstract

Autoimmune neutropenia (AIN) has been reported in infants and children, but not in neonates. AIN is caused by antibodies produced by the patient against their own neutrophils; therefore, it differs from the more common alloimmune neonatal neutropenia and the neonatal neutropenia because of a maternal autoimmune disease in which antineutrophil antibodies of maternal origin cross the placenta. We observed 2 cases of congenital AIN in premature neonates. These are the youngest reported cases, and indicate that AIN can have a prenatal onset. Examination of the bone marrow biopsies revealed an increase in B lymphocytes and myeloperoxidase-positive cells with a maturation arrest at the myelocyte stage. Recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor effectively treated the neutropenia, as it does in infantile AIN. Ten months after the diagnosis, 1 of the patients still requires recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating administration.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Autoimmune Diseases / congenital*
  • Autoimmune Diseases / drug therapy
  • Autoimmune Diseases / pathology
  • Biopsy
  • Bone Marrow / pathology
  • Female
  • Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor / therapeutic use
  • Humans
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Infant, Premature, Diseases / drug therapy
  • Infant, Premature, Diseases / immunology*
  • Infant, Premature, Diseases / pathology
  • Male
  • Neutropenia / congenital*
  • Neutropenia / drug therapy
  • Neutropenia / immunology*
  • Neutropenia / pathology
  • Recombinant Proteins

Substances

  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor