Pancytopenia Flashcards
What is pancytopenia?
A deficiency of blood cells of all lineages
What are the two broad causes of pancytopenia?
Increased cell destruction
Decreased cell production
What is the main cause of reduced blood cell production?
Bone marrow failure
What is the main inherited cause of marrow failure?
Fanconi’s anaemia
What DNA damage occurs in Fanconi’s anaemia?
The DNA is unable to correct inter-strand cross links
How does Fanconi’s anaemia progress haematologically?
Macrocytosis to thrombocytopenia to neutropenia
What are the main causes of acquired primary bone marrow failure?
Idiopathic aplastic anaemia
Myelodysplastic syndromes
Acute leukaemia
What is the pathogenesis of aplastic anaemia?
T cells (IFN and TNA) attack stem and progenitor cells
Myelodysplastic syndromes can develop into what?
Acute myeloid leukaemia
What are the causes of secondary bone marrow failure?
Drug-induced
B12/folate deficiency
Lymphoma
HIV
What is the main cause of increased destruction of blood cells?
Hypersplenism
Give some causes of hypersplenism
Splenic congestion
Systemic disease (RA)
Splenic lymphoma
What three components make up pancytopenia?
Anaemia
Neutropenia
Thrombocytopenia
What are the clinical features of pancytopenia?
Fatigue Shortness of breath Infection Bleeding (purpura/mucosal) Petechiae
What causes a hypocellular pancytopenia?
Aplastic anaemia