OBJECTIVETo assess the long-term therapeutic effect of Spatholobus Composite (SSC) for treatment of aplastic anemia (AA).

METHODSA follow-up study was carried on 110 AA patients, who were successfully treated by SSC and testosterone propionate from 1976 to 1994, by correspondence, the information regarding blood cell count, condition of health and labor, as well as incidence of relapse and complications were collected, and the data from 66 patients response to the correspondence were compared with those of 36 healthy persons and 13 recently visited AA patients.

RESULTSIn the 66 AA patients, the average blood cell counts were WBC: 4.7 x 10(9)/L, hemoglobin 121.2 g/L, platelet 109.5 x 10(9)/L, neutrophilic granulocytes 2.5 x 10(9)/L, and their mean hemopoietic tissue in bone marrow 72.7%, all were significantly different to those in the recent visitors (P < 0.01); SF-36 scoring showed insignificant difference between the patients and the healthy person (P > 0.05). Out of the 66 patients, 17 of the 30 school-aged (56.7%) have schooling; the family consummative rate was 87.9% (58/66), including 24 got married after curing, 26 had already married before illness and 8 at school students; 43 (65.2%) have got job; 4 died. The incidence of recurrence was 10.6% (7/66), and the complication occurred in 7.6% (5/66).

CONCLUSIONSThe AA patients could be cured by SSC and testosterone propionate, which is a remedy with safety. Cured patients could go into society harmoniously and have their own regular life and job.