title: [Pancytopenia and aplastic anemia: a retrospective study].
abstract: During January 1971--June 1975 we examined 195 patients with pancytopenia. The cause was bone marrow failure in 67.7% of cases (classic aplastic anaemia in 11.3%) hypersplenism in 7.7%, massive blood transfusions in 1.5%, severe infections in 9.7% (Gram-negative in 3%), and various other conditions in 7.8%. Records were insufficient for diagnosis in 5.6% of cases. Analysis of the 22 patients with aplastic anaemia showed no apparent aetiology in 16 (72.7%), previous phenylbutazone ingestion in 2, and Fanconi-type anaemia in 4 of 7 children. One-year survival was 73.7%, 2-year survival 71.4%, 3-year survival 63.6% and 4-year survival 57.1%. Marrow-investigation of the 21 available samples showed that 6 were acellular, 11 hypocellular and 4 normocellular. All patients received at least temporary therapy with anabolic steroids but its effectivity could not be satisfactorily assessed. Five patients died within 7 months and 5 patients went into remission, needing no further therapy. The initial haematological features of the 5 patients who died were not significantly different from those of the rest of the patients.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000741:Anemia, Aplastic / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000150:complications; D001855:Bone Marrow Diseases / Q000150:complications; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006971:Hypersplenism / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D065227:Transfusion Reaction
vernacular_title: Pansitopenie en aplastiese anemie: 'n retrospektiewe beoordeling