ABSTRACT
To determine the frequency of Pure Red Cell Aplasia [PRCA] in patients referred to Haematology Department of Holy Family Hospital, Rawalpindi for bone marrow examination. Single center descriptive study. The study was conducted at the Haematology Department of Holy Family Hospital Rawalpindi from 1st January 1999 to 31[st] September 2004. All patients referred to this department for bone marrow were included in this study. They comprised both male and female subjects of all ages. After taking a detailed history and conducting a complete physical examination blood samples were taken for complete blood picture. Bone marrow aspiration was done on all patients and trephine biopsies were taken only where indicated. Total of 1724 bone marrow aspirations biopsies were performed during this period, of which. 13 [0.75%] were diagnosed as Pure Red Cell Aplasia. 08/13 [61.5%] were males and 05/13 [38.4%] were females. The age range was from 1-52 years. Maximum number of patients belonged to 15-30 years age group. 01/13 [7.7%] was diagnosed as Diamond Blackfan Anaemia CDBA[2], 03/13 [23%] were associated with viral hepatitis. 04/13 [30.7%] cases had developed after some viral infection other than viral hepatitis. 01/13 [7.7%] had immune mediated PRCA, developing during the course of DAT positive hemolytic anaemia. 04/13 [30.7%] were idiopathic in origin. DBA patients initially responded well to corticosteroids but later developed resistance to steroids and became transfusion dependent. 02/13 [15.4%] patients also showed a good initial response to corticosteroid therapy and thus were labelled as Acute PRCA. 02/13 [15.4%] recovered spontaneously after diagnosis. Both these cases were children and thus diagnosed as cases of Transient Erythroblastopenia of Childhood [TEC]. PRCA is a rare disorder with a frequency of 0.75%. It is most commonly encountered in young adults secondary to a viral infection. Hepatitis is a major health hazard in our society and may play a significant role in the etiology of PRCA our patients