Pancytopenia

:Definition

 Pancytopenia is a reduction in all 3 types of cellular components in

peripheral blood. Which involves a reduction in RBCs, WBCs, &
platelets, causing anemia, leukopenia ( neutropenia), &
thrombocytopenia respectively.
 Pancytopenia can be associated with several conditions such as,
aplastic anemia, myelodysplastic syndromes, myelofibrosis, acute
leukemias, the later stages of chronic leukemias, myeloproliferative
disorders & others.
 Cancer, infections & toxins can also cause pancytopenia.

Signs & symptoms:

 The symptoms of pancytopenia may vary with the cause & severity of
the condition & also may vary from one person to another.
 White blood cells affect the immune system, while red blood cells affect
the body's ability to process oxygen, & platelets cause blood-clotting
when injury have occurred. So lowering the levels of all these 3 cells can
cause a wide range of symptoms, because nearly all the important
functions of blood are affected.
 Symptoms can occur secondary to:

1. thrombocytopenia ( ↓ platelets  bleeding & easy bruising)

The platelet count is the first to be affected. Mucocutaneous bleeding is

typical of thrombocytopenia with petechial hemorrhages in skin & mucous
membranes ( commonest being epistaxis, hematuria, GI bleeding,
menorrhagia & rarely intracranial bleeding).

2. neutropenia ( ↓ WBCs  infections )

Next to be affected is the myeloid series. Symptoms include frequent

infections, fever, septicemia, & being malaise.
 3. anemia ( ↓ RBCs  anemia )

Red blood corpuscles survive much longer than platelets or neutrophils.

Thus , anemia develops slowly ( unless there is significant bleeding ). The
typical signs & symptoms of anemia are fatigue, shortness of breath,
dizziness, headache, pallor, & tachycardia.

References:

http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/p/pancytopenia/symptoms.htm?kcplink=1 -

http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/aplastic/aplastic_signsandsymptoms.html -

.Journal, Indian Academy of Clinical Medicine. Vol. 3, No.1. January-march 2002 -