The use of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor for treatment of autoimmune neutropenia

The advent of better diagnostic tools, molecular techniques, and cytokine therapies have come together at the end of the 20th century to provide an improved outlook for patients with autoimmune neutropenia, Severe chronic neutropenia is no longer idiopathic in most cases, and growth factor therapy can be safely offered to selected patient groups. Previously unsuccessful and even dangerous forms of treatment are no longer appropriate, and G-CSF treatment appears to be safe when administered long term. Fears about transformation of these disorders into acute myeloblastic leukemia probably relate to the underlying natural history of these disorders rather than to their treatment. (C) 2001 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc.