Long-term survival and reversal of iron overload after marrow transplantation in dogs with congenital hemolytic anemia.

Severe hemolytic in Basenji dogs secondary to pyruvate kinase deficiency was corrected by marrow transplantation from hematologically normal littermates. These dogs have now been followed for more than 5.5 yr. Essentially normal hematopoiesis has persisted, and the dogs remain in good health without cirrhosis or osteosclerosis. Furthermore, hepatic iron overload present before transplantation has gradually decreased. These results in dogs suggest that marrow transplantation could prevent the morbidity and mortality of severe hemolytic anemia and associated iron overload in man.