Yasmeen Batool, Sabeen Fatima, Naseem Akhter, Maliha Asif, Gulzaib Pervaiz, Umme Habiba.
A Clinico-hematological evaluation of Pancytopenia: a Retrospective Cross-sectional study.
Isra Med J Jan ;13(2):96-100.

Objective: To determine the etiology, clinical and hematological manifestations of pancytopenia in patients presenting to pathology department for bone marrow examination. Study Design: Retrospective cross-sectional study. Place and Duration: At Hematology Department of Nishtar Medical University Multan, from 1st August 2015 to 30th August 2018. Methodology: A total of 237 patients having pancytopenia of more than7-day duration who were referred for bone marrow examination were consecutively enrolled in the study. Complete history, clinical examination findings, results of complete blood picture, peripheral film, reticulocyte count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), malarial parasites (MP), liver function tests (LFTs) ,renal function tests (RFTs) and viral markers (HBsAg, Anti- HCV) and abdominal ultrasound were also included in the study. Results: A total of 237 (N) patients, including 137 males with a male: female ratio of 1.3:1, were included in the study. The age of the patients ranged from 10 to 80 years. The age group of 10 - 20 years showed the maximum number of patients (27.8%), followed by 21-30 years (25.3 %) and 31-40 years (17.2%). The commonest cause of pancytopenia was found to be megaloblastic anemia (27.0%) followed by aplastic anemia (15.6%) and acute leukemias (13.1%). Pallor (87.7%) and generalized weakness (83.5%) were the most common presenting clinical features followed by dyspnea (63.2%) and fever (62%). Conclusion: Bone marrow examination can prove a cardinal diagnostic tool in establishing etiology of pancytopenia in patients presenting with non-specific symptoms like pallor and generalized weakness. Megaloblastic anemia and aplastic anaemia were commonest etiology of pancytopenia.

PakMediNet -Pakistan's largest Database of Pakistani Medical Journals - http://www.pakmedinet.com