ABSTRACT
Backgrotutd: pancytopenia refers to a reduction in all the three cellular elements of blood. The aim of this study was to identiy various causes of pancytopenia in Yemeni children and its clinical correlation with peripheral smear and bone marrow examination
Patients and Methods: this was a prospective cross sectional study which conducted at Hadhramout university hospital for pediatric and gynecology and obstetrics and enrolled 103 pancytopenic children aged 2 month to 15 years evaluated with criteria of recent pancytopenia on peripheral blood smear during the sttady period from January 2013 to Jmuary 2015. Demographic profile and clinical findings were taken,laboratory investigations performed at the time of admission for all cases included a complete hernogram, reticulocyte counts, and peripheral blood film. Bone marrow biopsy was performed wherever aspiration was inconclusive. Other investigations that were performed in selected cases
Results: a total of 103 patients of both sexes with pancytopenia were enrolled in the study. The mean [SD] age was 6.75 +/- 4.09 years and their ages rangedpom 2 months to 15 years. Among them 63 [61%] were males and 40 [39%] females with a male to female ratio of 1.58:1. Maximum number of patients 44[43%] were in the two month-5 years age group, 77ze most common clinicaEfiatures of pancytopenia at presentation, was pallor in 101 [98%], Prolonged fever or recurrent fever in 89[86%].The most common three causes were visceral leishmaniasis [kala zar] in 39 [37.9%], followed by acute lymphoblastic leukemia[ALL] in 21[20.5%], and then megaloblastic anemia 9 [8.7%].Nan- malignant pancytopenia which was found in 70 [68%] of patients, and malignant pancytopenia that was found in 33 [32%]
Conclusions: the three most common causes of pancytopenia in our study was visceral leishmaniasis [kala zar] followed with ALL and then megaloblastic anemia. Bone marrow examination is a useful technique for diagnosing the causes of pancytopenia There are varying trends in clinical pattern, peripheral hematological features depending on the prevalence of causes ofpancytopenia in the dgerent geographical locations