Pancytopenia - What is This Condition?

In a patient with pancytopenia, there is a shortage of certain kinds of blood cells. These include platelets, and red and white blood cells. In contrast, there are other conditions in which only one of these deficiencies is present. For instance, leukopenia is a low white blood cell count, while in anemia there is a reduction simply in red ones, and thrombocytopenia is a medical condition involving a lower count of platelets.

Different medical signs and symptoms can be present in a case of pancytopenia. Some are in the area of easy bleeding, including that under the skin, such as: bruising easily, nose bleeds, petechiae, and others. Some pancytopenic patients may have issues such as shortness of breath (also known as dyspnea), a rapid heart rate, and general weakness. Pallor, headaches, and frequent infections are also possibilities. Additionally, symptoms of the aforementioned conditions involving lowered counts of one particular type of blood cells -- such as anemia for red blood cells -- can also occur.

Pancytopenia can be caused by different issues. Some are infections or diseases, such as HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) and SLE (systemic lupus erythematosus). Medications and treatments can also cause this, for instance, it can occur in rare cases due to taking antibiotics or blood pressure medications, and is a possible side effect of having chemotherapy. Deficiencies in certain areas, like vitamin B12 and folate, can also lead to pancytopenia.

Undergoing a bone marrow biopsy is a common method of diagnosis to be used in order to detect whether pancytopenia is in fact the condition that a patient is in.

You can read more about pancytopenia such as additional symptoms and causes, and more. Head to Pancytopenia.net for further information.

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