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A man diagnosed as TAFRO syndrome was successfully responded to a novel immunosuppressive regimen containing methylprednisolone and mycophenolate mofetil. Blood cells firstly recovered, followed by the general situation and complete recover 1 month later, highlighting the danger of TAFRO syndrome and the importance of immunosuppressive agents in reversing pathological course. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives To compare the safety and efficacy of porcine antilymphocyte globulin ( pALG) and rabbit antithymocyte globulin ( rATG) in treating severe aplastic anemia ( SAA). Methods Seventy-seven patients with SAA that received immunosuppressive therapy between July 2004 and December 2013 at the Department of Hematology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, were retrospectively analyzed. Forty-five patients received treatment including pALG ( pALG group), and 32 patients received treatment including rATG ( rATG group). Effective treatment rates between the two groups 1 yr after the treatment were compared; Kaplan-Meier 5-yr survival curve and log-rank test compared survival rates between the groups. All adverse responses were recorded. Results The 1-yr overall response rate in the pALG group (83.78%) was significantly higher than that in the rATG group (66.67%, P = 0.036), and the 5-yr overall survival rate in the pALG group (82.22%) was also higher than that in the rATG group (68.75%), but the difference was not statistically significant ( P = 0.32). The incidence of adverse events was similar in the two groups, and no treatment-related deaths occurred. Conclusions The efficacies, survival, and safety profiles of pALG-based treatments are similar to or even better than those of rATG-based treatments. These results may help guide the clinical use of pALG in immunosuppressive therapy for SAA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]