Javaria Rasheed, Saba Urooj, Rabia Bashir, Muhammad Khalid, Fauzia Zafar.
Cytopenias in children: clinical, hematological and etiological profile.
Isra Med J Jan ;11(3):137-40.

Objective: To determine the frequency of various clinical presentations, hematological findings, etiological profile and outcome of cytopenias in children. Study Design: Cross-sectional descriptive study Place and Duration: At Department of Pediatrics, Nishtar Hospital Multan from 1st January 2017 to 31st December 2017 Methodology: Fifty three patients of either gender aged 1 month to 15 years presenting with bicytopenia/ pancytopenia were enquired about presenting complaints (pallor, fever, bleeding bruising and bone pains), examined for visceromegaly (liver / spleen) and lymphadenopathy and laboratory investigation were done for blood counts (Hemoglobin, TLC, DLC, reticulocyte count and peripheral film) and bone marrow examination was done for pathological findings. Results: Out of total 53 patients, 64.2% were males. Mean age at the time of presentation was 6 years. Fifty two percent patients were malnourished. Pallor (98.11%) and fever (90.57%) were the commonest signs at presentation. Pancytopenia was found in 62.26% of patients. Hematological malignancy (26.40%) followed by infections (24.50%) and megaloblastic anemia (22.60%) were the leading cause of the condition. Infections and megaloblastic anemia were common in bicytopenic patients compared to pancytopenic children (30 % vs. 21% and 25 % vs. 21 % respectively). Conclusion: Fever and pallor are non-specific but commonest presentation of bi/pancytopenia in children. Hematological malignancies were commonest etiology of bi/pancytopenia but infections and megaloblastic anemia can also present similarly.

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