Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor Treatment of Cyclic Neutropenia with Recurrent Oral Aphthae

The document reports on a 16-year-old girl with cyclic neutropenia who experienced significant clinical improvement after being treated with Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor (G-CSF). She had a history of recurrent oral aphthae, fever, malaise, and skin infections every 21 days since early childhood, and previous treatments had been ineffective. G-CSF treatment, initiated at a daily dose of 5 µg/kg and later reduced to 2.5 µg/kg, resulted in shortened cycles of neutrophil count fluctuations and a reduction in the duration and severity of neutropenia. After 14 months on G-CSF, the patient had no further episodes of oral aphthae, malaise, or fever, and no adverse effects were reported. The document concludes that G-CSF is effective for treating cyclic neutropenia, although the long-term adverse effects are unknown.