PANCYTOPENIA-CLINICO-HAEMATOLOGICAL STUDIES OF BONE MARROW EXAMINATION

BACKGROUND: Pancytopenia is an important clinicohematological entity having varying presentations and underlying cause ranging from megaloblastic anemia to fatal bone marrow aplasia and leukemias. Underlying pathology determines the treatment and prognosis. In majority of cases it is megaloblastic anemia which is readily treatable. OBJECTIVE: In our country causes of pancytopenia are not very well defined especially in Central India, so the present study has been undertaken to evaluate various causes and to correlate the peripheral blood finding with bone marrow. MATERIAL AND METHOD: It was a retrospective study of 155 cases presented with pancytopenia and evaluated clinically with hematological parameters and bone marrow aspiration in Department of Pathology, Gandhi Medical College, Bhopal during the period 2009-2012. RESULTS: Among 155 cases studied, age ranged from 2-80 years with mean age of 28 years with preponderance in male under 14 years age and female in 20-40 years age group. Generalised weakness and pallor were noted in all cases. Other common presentations were fever followed by bleeding manifestations. Splenomegaly was more common followed by hepatomegaly. Majority of patients had severe anemia, haemoglobin<5 gm%, platelet count<50,0000/cumm. Bone marrow examination concluded most common cause was megaloblasticanemia(43.2%) followed by hypoplastic anemia(12.9%). CONCLUSION: The present study concludes that detailed hematological investigations along with bone marrow examination in pancytopenic patients is helpful to diagnose or rule out the causes of pancytopenia and further planning of investigation and management.