Aplastic Anemia From Veterinary Phenylbutazone

Abstract

PHENYLBUTAZONE is an effective and widely used anti-inflammatory agent in animals as well as man. We observed a patient in whom fatal aplastic anemia developed after taking phenylbutazone prepared for veterinary use in horses. <h3>Report of a Case</h3> A 20-year-old professional jockey was admitted to the hospital on Dec 16, 1975, with a two-week history of spontaneous bruising and listlessness. He admitted taking phenylbutazone in the form of crumbled 1-gm horse tablets about 20 times in the previous three years. One month before admission, he took 2 gm of horse phenylbutazone for more than three days for mild but painful injuries sustained in a fall. He was also taking furosemide, 40 mg/day, and occasional cathartics. Results of the physical examination showed pallor and widespread ecchymoses. The blood cell count showed a hemoglobin level of 5.6 gm/100 ml, a white blood cell count of 650/μl (18% neutrophils, 79% lymphocytes, and 3%