ABSTRACT
Background: Aplastic anemia [AA] is a disorder characterized by pancytopenia and injury or loss of pluripotent hematopoietic stem cells in the absence of infiltrative disease of the bone marrow. Hepatitis-associated aplastic anemia [HAAA] is a variant of AA
Aim of the study: To investigate the possible etiology responsible for the development of HAAA
Patients and methods: 42 patients were admitted to Assiut university hospital diagnosed as having AA. Data from history, physical examination and laboratory investigations, including complete blood count [CBC], viral serology and liver function tests were collected and statistically analyzed
Results: Patients were divided into group A [HAAA, 9 patients] 7 of them had hepatitis C virus, one with hepatitis A virus and one with cvtomegalovirus and group B [non-HAAA, 33 patients]. There was no significant difference as regard to CBC between HAAA patients and non-HAAA patients. There were significant negative correlations between alanine transaminase [ALT] and CBC findings in patients with HAAA
Conclusion: HAAA is caused by variable hepatotropic and non-hepatotropic viruses. The pathogenesis of hepatitis associated aplastic anemia HAAA may be attributed to liver cell injury, disturbed liver functions and its effects on hematopoiesis