Pancytopenia

Pancytopenia is a condition in which there is a 'reduced amount of all kinds of blood elements in the blood - in the myeloid or in the lymphoid series. It is therefore a collective name for anemia, leukopenia, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, or lymphopenia. The opposite condition to pancytopenia is polycythemia. It manifests itself in bone marrow disease, when there is a 'suppression of hematopoiesis. For example, in aplastic anemia, leukemia, but also in visceral leishmaniasis.

Clinical manifestations depend on how quickly pancytopenia occurs. Dominant are hemorrhagic diatheses, reduced resistance to infections and 'anemic syndrome - fatigue, shortness of breath, headaches, tachycardia, pallor of mucous membranes and skin.

Related Articles

 * Blood count
 * Hematopoiesis