Aplasia and leukaemia following chloroquine therapy

Postgrad Med J. 1978 Feb;54(628):108-12. doi: 10.1136/pgmj.54.628.108.

Abstract

Three patients with aplastic anaemia following chloroquine therapy are described. In two, chloroquine had been administered in large doses over a long period. One of them subsequently developed acute myeloblastic leukaemia. The third received only a small dose and pancytopenia with aplasia followed three weeks after ingestion of the drug. The mechanism(s) of chloroquine-induced marrow injury is not known. A parallel to chloramphenicol-induced blood dyscrasias is drawn, but remains unproved.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Anemia, Aplastic / chemically induced*
  • Bone Marrow / pathology
  • Chloroquine / adverse effects*
  • Chloroquine / therapeutic use
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / chemically induced*
  • Malaria / drug therapy
  • Male
  • Middle Aged

Substances

  • Chloroquine