Clinical and hematological profile of pancytopenia

Pancytopenia is a disorder in which all three cellular elements of blood (red blood cells, white blood cells & platelets) are decreased and this leads to triad of findings which includes anemia, leucopenia and thrombocytopenia. It can be due to reduction in hematopoietic cell production in the bone marrow due to infections, chemotherapy, parasitic infestation etc. The severity of pancytopenia and the underlying pathology determines the management and prognosis of the patients. Thus, identification of correct cause will help in implementing appropriate therapy.

i) To evaluate haematological parameters in pancytopenic cases. ii) To classify pancytopenic cases on etiological basis. iii) To study various clinical presentations in pancytopenic cases.

70 pancytopenic patients were evaluated clinically, along with haematological parameters and bone marrow examination in the Department of Pathology, CSSH, Meerut, during the period of September 2011 to June 2013.

Among 70 cases studied, all age group patients were included. Maximum number of patients were in the age group 11–20 yrs with female predominance. Most of the patients presented with fever and pain in legs. The commonest physical finding was pallor. In most of the patients Hemoglobin ranged between 5.1–8.0 g/dl, Total leucocyte count ranged between 1000–2500/cumm and Platelet count ranged between <5000–50,000/cumm. The commonest cause for pancytopenia was malaria (28.57%), followed by aplastic anemia (14.28%). In our study most common bone marrow finding (n= 23) was hypocellularity with aplastic anemia.