The etiological spectrum of pancytopenia diagnosed from blood smears examined in the pathology department of a rural tertiary care centre in South India
Journal Title: International Journal of Medical Science and Public Health - Year 2018, Vol 7, Issue 2
Abstract
Background: Pancytopenia is a reduction in all three formed elements of blood, namely - erythrocytes, leukocytes, and platelets. This triad of findings occurs in a number of clinical conditions. The underlying pathology determines the management and prognosis of the patients. Identification of the precise cause is exceptionally challenging and requires a systematic study on the detailed clinical history, drug history, and comorbidities of the patients. Early diagnosis and initiation of prompt therapy will be lifesaving. The causes of pancytopenia vary in different populations and this study will document the etiology of pancytopenia in this region. Objectives: The objectives of this study were to find out the prevalence and etiological spectrum of pancytopenia in patients diagnosed to have pancytopenia from blood smears done in this institution. Materials and Methods: This is a cross-sectional, medical record-based study of patients diagnosed to have pancytopenia from peripheral blood smears to find the prevalence of pancytopenia in patients coming to this rural teaching hospital during a 7 months period in 2015. Results: Of the 2813 blood smears examined in the pathology department of this rural medical college, 61 (2.16%) were diagnosed to have pancytopenia. Of these, 46 patients who fulfilled the selection criteria were recruited to the study. The most common causes of pancytopenia were chronic liver disease (17, 37%), followed by dengue fever (9, 19.6%) and hematological malignancies (4, 8.7%). The common presenting symptoms were fatigue and weakness (36, 76.1%) and fever (26, 56.6%). The most common presenting signs were pallor (9, 19.6), splenomegaly (7, 15.2%), and hepatomegaly (6, 13%). Conclusion: Chronic liver disease related to alcoholism and dengue fever is the most common causes of pancytopenia in this clinical setting. The common presenting symptoms include fever and fatigue.
Authors and Affiliations
Suryareshmi B S, Latha K. Abraham, Anna Mathew, John Michael Raj
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP448426
- DOI 10.5455/ijmsph.2018.0721125122017001
- Views 63
- Downloads 0
An epidemiological study on road traffic injury in East Sikkim
Background: Road traffic injuries (RTIs) are a large and rapidly evolving public health burden. RTIs are projected to rise to the third leading cause of disability-adjusted life years lost worldwide by 2020. In India, ra...
Obesity and comorbid conditions: An urban population-based cross-sectional study in Northwest India
Background: Obesity of late has become a challenge for public health planners both in developing as well as the developed nations. Obesity has assumed pandemic proportions worldwide. Objectives: (1) To determine the prev...
Risk factors of breast cancer among the primary health-care attendees in Eastern Saudi Arabia
Background: Breast cancer has been the most common cancer among the Saudi female subjects for the last decades. Objective: To screen primary health-care (PHC) attendees for the risk factors of breast cancer in Easter...
Caregiver burden in caregivers of elderly registered in Armed Forces Hospital and King Fahad Military Medical Complex Home Care Services in Dhahran
Background: Worldwide, there is a dramatic shift in the distribution of population toward older ages. Family caregivers are playing a major role in keeping ongoing care for this age group. Moreover, they are saving treme...
Comparison of lipid profile and malondialdehyde with severity of blood pressure in pregnancy-induced hypertension
Background: Abnormal lipid profile and increased lipid peroxidation have a basic role in pathogenesis of pregnancyinduced hypertension (PIH). The association of dyslipidemia and lipid peroxidation product malondia...