Pancytopenia
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| ICD-10 | D61.0, R79.1 |
|---|---|
| ICD-9 | 284.0, 284.8 |
Pancytopenia is a medical condition in which there is a reduction in the number of red and white blood cells, as well as platelets.
Pancytopenia is generally due to diseases affecting the bone marrow, although peripheral destruction of all lines of blood cells in hypersplenism (overactive spleen) is a recognised cause. Bone marrow problems causing pancytopenia include myelofibrosis, leukemia and aplastic anemia.
Increasingly, HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is itself a cause for pancytopenia. Rarely, drugs (antibiotics, blood pressure medication, heart medication) can cause pancytopenia.
Pancytopenia usually requires a bone marrow biopsy in order to distinguish among different causes.
[edit] Causes of pancytopenia
1. Aplastic anemia 2. Myelodysplastic syndrome 3. Leukemia 4. Severe Folate or Vitamin B12 deficiency 5. Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (Urine test) 6. Finally overwhelming viral infections (HIV most common).
[edit] See also
- Leukopenia, a reduction in white blood cells
- Neutropenia, a reduction in neutrophil granulocytes
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