Pune – A 20-year-old youth suffering from two rare conditions — Common Variable Immune Deficiency (CVID), which weakens the body’s immune system, and Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia (AIHA), where the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s red blood cells — has been successfully treated by hematology experts in Pune. Using an autologous transplant, where the patient’s stem cells are used, doctors at Yashoda Hematology Clinic and Ruby Hall Clinic gave the young man a new lease of life.
Sumit (name changed), a resident of Wagholi in Pune, began experiencing a drop in hemoglobin levels every six to seven months starting in 2020 when he was 16 years old. Despite undergoing several treatments, his condition did not improve. Eventually, he was referred to Dr. Vijay Ramanan, a hematologist, who administered an injection to boost his hemoglobin. However, four months later, Sumit returned with the same symptoms.
This time, not only was his hemoglobin low, but his platelet count, responsible for blood clotting, had also decreased significantly. Additionally, his blood sugar levels had shot up to 600, leading to a diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes. Further testing revealed that Sumit was suffering from CVID, a rare genetic disorder.
Dr. Ramanan began insulin therapy to control his diabetes and decided to perform an autologous transplant to treat both CVID and AIHA. This process involves harvesting stem cells from the patient’s bone marrow and reintroducing them after conditioning therapy.
Following the transplant, Sumit’s platelet count returned to normal, his Type 1 diabetes reversed, and his hemoglobin levels improved. Since his hemoglobin hadn’t fully normalized, he was given additional injections. After regular follow-ups every four to five months, Sumit is now completely cured. He has even resumed his education and enrolled in an engineering program, shared Dr. Vijay Ramanan.
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Common Variable Immune Deficiency (CVID) is a genetic disorder often seen in children. Its diagnosis typically requires Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) testing. An autologous transplant can be highly effective if performed within a year of a Type 1 diabetes diagnosis. It can also be beneficial in other autoimmune or immune-compromised diseases like rheumatoid arthritis or multiple sclerosis.
– Dr. Vijay Ramanan, Hematologist, Yashoda Hematology Clinic
