Epidemiological features of aplastic anaemia in Pakistan

To complete the data on the demographic features of patients diagnosed to have aplastic anemia at a single institution over a 7.5 years period.

Demographic information was retrieved from the patients medical records retrospectively as well as prospectively of those patients who presented with features of aplastic anaemia. Their diagnosis was confirmed by performing a complete blood count and bone marrow trephine.

One hundred and forty four patients were diagnosed to have aplastic anemia; there were 106 males and 38 females. Their ages ranged from 2 to 75 years, with a median of 17 years, 112 (77.7%) patients were below the age of 30 years. Severe aplastic anemia (SAA) was seen in 74 (51.4%), very severe (VSAA) in 24 (16.7%) and non-severe aplastic anemia (NSAA) in 46 (31.9%) patients. No obvious cause could be established for 74.3%. Thirteen patients admitted using drugs known to cause AA and one was a radiographer (9%). Out of 44 patients tested, 7 (15.9%) were found to have either hepatitis B virus markers or antibody to hepatitis C at the time of diagnosis of AA. However it was difficult to establish a cause and effect relationship with either drugs or viruses.

Aplastic anaemia is found to occur mostly in young males. The most common type was idiopathic severe aplastic anaemia.