Pancytopenia; study for clinical features and etiological pattern at tertiary care settings in Abbottabad

ABSTRACT

Pancytopenia is an important hematological problem encountered in our day-to-day clinical practice. The aim of our study was to evaluate clinical features and etiological pattern of pancytopenia at tertiary care settings in Abbottabad. This prospective study was conducted at Northern Institue of Medical Sciences [NIMS] and Ayub Teaching Hospital Abbottabad from 25th August 2009 to 31st July 2010. A total of 85 patients fulfilling the criteria of pancytopenia were randomly selected by time-based sampling. Pancytopenia was diagnosed by anemia [hemoglobin thrombocytopenia [platelets patients, 62[72.94%] were males and 23[27.05%] females with M to F ratio of 2.691. The mean age [ +/- SD] of males was 30.20 +/- 15.42 years, while that of females 35.12 +/- 16.31 years [p=0.20]. Among clinical features, anemia and generalized weakness were the commonest [97.64%], followed by shortness of breath [88.23%]. Majority 54[63.52%] had non-malignant disorders responsible for pancytopenia. Overall, the most common cause of pancytopenia was aplastic anemia noted in 30[35.29%] cases, followed by megaloblastic anemia 15[17.64%] and hypersplenism in 13[15.29%]. On conclusion, aplastic anemia was the most common cause of pancytopenia in our study predominantly affecting young adult males. It was mainly due to use of toxic and ban-drugs by quacks and general practitioners at their clinics