COMMON CAUSES OF PANCYTOPENIA IN PATIENTS ADMITTED IN MEDICAL WARD

Abstract

Objective: To assess common causes of pancytopenia in patients admitted in medical ward in tertiary care hospital.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study

Place & Duration of Study: Department of General Medicinal, Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences, Jamshoro from December 2024 to May 2025.

Methodology: A total of 115 patients with pancytopenia had age between 18-75 years, both female and male patients presented in the department of general medicine ward were enrolled. After taking all the aseptic measures and with standard technique the diagnostic bone marrow aspiration was performed under adequate local anesthesia by using Salah and Jamshidi needles, respectively and bone marrow sample was sent to laboratory for biopsy. Biopsy report confirmed causes of pancytopenia. Collected data was analyzed using SPSS version 27. Quantitative outcome variables were reported in terms of mean and standard deviation after the confirmation of the normality of the data. Qualitative data were reported as frequency and percentage.

Results: The mean age of the patients was 39.5 ± 2.61 years, mean body mass index (BMI) was 24.4 ± 3.1 kg/m² and mean duration of symptoms prior to presentation was 7.2 ± 3.8 weeks. 68 (59%) were female patients and 47 (41%) were male. Pallor was the most common clinical feature, observed in 107 patients (93%). Aplastic anemia was the most common cause of pancytopenia, identified in 43 patients (37.3%), making it the leading etiological factor in this cohort. Acute leukemia was the second most frequent cause, seen in 16 patients (13.9%), megaloblastic anemia accounted for 14 cases (12.17%), erythroid hyperplasia was observed in 13 patients (11.3%), Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and rheumatoid arthritis each contributed to 6% of cases (7 patients each).

Conclusion: Pancytopenia is a common hematological problem and should be suspected in patient presenting with unexplained anemia, weakness, fever or bleeding manifestation.