Haematological causes of thrombocytopenia in children at Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi
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1Department of Paediatrics, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi.
Insights
This study identified the main hematological causes of low platelet counts in hospitalized children. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia was the most frequent cause, followed by idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura and aplastic anemia.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Hematology
- Oncology
- Clinical Research
Background:
- Thrombocytopenia, a condition characterized by low platelet counts, can have various hematological origins in children.
- Identifying these causes is crucial for timely diagnosis and effective management in pediatric patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the primary hematological causes of thrombocytopenia in children admitted to a tertiary care hospital.
- To establish the frequency of different hematological conditions leading to thrombocytopenia in this pediatric cohort.
Main Methods:
- A prospective, descriptive study was conducted at Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi.
- The study included 108 children aged one month to 14 years with platelet counts below 15,000/µl.
- Data was collected via questionnaires and analyzed using SPSS 15.
Main Results:
- Out of 108 patients, 64% were male. The mean age was 69 months.
- The most frequent hematological causes of thrombocytopenia were acute lymphoblastic leukemia (15.7%), idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (8.3%), and aplastic anemia (4.6%).
- Severe thrombocytopenia was observed in 46.3% of the children.
Conclusions:
- Acute lymphoblastic leukemia is the leading hematological cause of thrombocytopenia in hospitalized children.
- Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura and aplastic anemia are also significant contributors to pediatric thrombocytopenia.
- These findings highlight the importance of considering specific hematological malignancies and autoimmune conditions in the differential diagnosis of childhood thrombocytopenia.
Objective:
To identify the haematological causes of thrombocytopenia in children admitted at a tertiary care hospital.
Methods:
The prospective, descriptive study was carried out at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, from September 3, 2009 to March 3, 2010, and comprised children between one month and 14 years of age with platelet count less than15000. After reviewing the record, a questionnaire was filled and data was analysed using SPSS 15.
Results:
Out of 108 patients in the study, 69(64%) were male and 39(36%) were female. The overall mean age was 69±46.54 months (range: 12-168 months). The mean platelet count was 59.8±46.1/µl (range: 1,000-149,000/µl). Besides, 24 (22.2%) children had mild thrombocytopenia, 34(31.5%) had moderate and 50(46.3 %) had severe thrombocytopenia. The causes of haematological thrombocytopenia in descending order of frequency was acute lymphoblastic leukaemia 17(15.7%), idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura 10(8.3%) and aplastic anaemia 5(4.6%).
Conclusions:
Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia was the commonest cause of haematological thrombocytopenia followed by idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura and aplastic anaemia.