MORPHOLOGICAL FEATURES OF BONE MARROW ASPIRATES IN VARIOUS TYPES OF CYTOPENIA(S) AT SAIDU TEACHING HOSPITAL, SWAT

OBJECTIVES: To find and document clinico-hematological features of bone marrow aspirates inpatients presenting with various forms of cytopenia(s) at Saidu Teaching Hospitals Swat.STUDY DESIGN: Descriptive study.PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY: This study was carried out over a period of one year (1stJanuary 2013 to 31st December 2013) at Pathology department, Saidu Medical College, Saidu Sharif,Swat.METHODS AND MATERIALS: Total 200 patients of both genders and all age groups withcytopenias referred from Saidu Teaching Hospital for bone marrow cytology were included for bonemarrow aspiration and assessment.RESULTS: Two hundred patients underwent bone marrow sampling procedure. Patient’s age rangedfrom 6 months to 90 years. There were 56% male and 44% female at the ratio of 1.5:1. The mostcommon non malignant hematological condition was megaloblastic anemia 28%, mixed nutritionaldeficiency anemia 16%, hypoplasia 8%, hemolytic anemia 7%, iron deficiency anemia was present in6% cases, visceral leishmaniasis 4%, thrombocytopenia due to any cause (immune thrombocytopenicpurpura (ITP)) 2%, anemia of chronic illness was present in 2% cases, malaria and sepsis leading tocytopenia were 1% each. Malignant neoplasms in our study were 50 cases (25%), which were comprisedof; ALL 10%, AML 5%, CML 4%, MDS 3%, multiple myeloma 1.5% and lymphoproliferativedisorders in 1% cases.CONCLUSION: This study showed the pattern of morphological features on bone marrow aspiration,which was found to be different from pattern seen in European and Middle East regions and similar tothat found in Asian subcontinent.KEY WORDS: Cytopenias, pancytopenia, bicytopenia, anemia, thrombocytopenia, megaloblasticanemia, acute leukemia, myelodysplastic syndrome.