Aetiocholanolone and prednisolone therapy in patients with severe bone-marrow failure.

Ten patients with bone-marrow failure from myelofibrosis, aplastic anaemia, paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria, and "hairy cell" leukaemia, who had failed to respond to androgens and/or glucocorticosteroids, were treated with a combination of aetiocholanolone and prednisolone. All patients except one with aplastic anaemia responded with an increase in reticulocytes, haematocrit, red blood cell mass, and blood neutrophils and platelets. These data suggest that aetiocholanolone, and similar 5beta-hydroxy steroids, may be valuable in treating certain patients with chronic marrow failure.