title: Acute myeloid leukaemia in children: experience at a tertiary care facility of Pakistan.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To document the demographics and outcome of children with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) treated at a tertiary care facility of Pakistan.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective study was conducted at Aga Khan University on children (less than 15 years) diagnosed to have AML between January 2000 to May 2007.Total 40 cases were diagnosed out of which 37 charts were available for review.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average age of presentation was 8.5 +/- 4.5 years and 75% were males. The most common presenting feature was fever in 83% followed by bleeding in 41% and pallor in 39%. Initial WBC of > 100,000 was seen in 19% of patients. The most common FAB subtype was M4 39%. Twenty three patients underwent treatment out of which 12 patients are alive and in remission. Majority were followed up around 2 years and 6 months. Out of the 11 patients who died three had resistant disease, four relapsed and rest died due to sepsis mostly during induction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The most common sub type in our study is AML M4 although AML M2 is reported as predominant subtype. About a third of the patients could not start or complete therapy due to financial constraints. The overall survival for our patients who completed therapy was 52%.
authors: Department of Paediatrics, Aga Khan University Hospita, Karachi.
authors: Zehra
authors: Z
authors: Fadoo
authors: Naureen
authors: N
authors: Mushtaq
authors: Saima
authors: S
authors: Alvi
authors: Muhammad
authors: M
authors: Ali
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D010154:Pakistan; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome