title: Epidemiologic and HLA antigen profile in patients with aplastic anemia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze patients suffering from aplastic anemia (AA, peripheral pancytopenia and hypocellular bone marrow in the absence of dysplasia, infiltration and fibrosis) for documenting patient's baseline characteristics and association with various human leucocyte antigens.
  
  
  METHODS
  An observational, cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  The National Institute of Blood Disease (NIBD), Karachi, from March 2003 to August 2008.
  
  
  METHODS
  All consecutive patients with confirmed diagnosis of AA were evaluated. Data included the baseline characteristics, complete blood counts (CBC), bone marrow biopsy findings, severity of disease, exposure to drugs or chemicals, viral serology and their HLA expression. The data was analyzed on SPSS programme and frequencies were documented.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 318 patients, there were 236 (74.21%) males and 82 (25.78%) females. Median age was 16 and 70% belonged to urban population. Drug exposure could be established in 23 (7.23%) of cases, while 4 (1.25%) were HBV surface antigen positive and 7 (2.2%) were HCV antibodies positive. In all, 73 (22.9%) had very severe AA, 195 (61.32%) had severe AA while 50 (15.7%) cases had non-severe AA. HLA B5 (52) showed high expression in 83 patients (26%) in comparison to 5.9% reported in healthy population.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  AA was found to affect young adult males living in urban areas. HLA B5 (52) showed higher expression in patients with aplastic anemia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Hematology, National Institute of Blood Disease Centre and Bone Marrow Transplantation(NIBD and BMT), Karachi.
authors.forename: Mehwesh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Taj
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Hematology, National Institute of Blood Disease Centre and Bone Marrow Transplantation(NIBD and BMT), Karachi.
authors.forename: Tahir Sultan
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Shamsi
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Hematology, National Institute of Blood Disease Centre and Bone Marrow Transplantation(NIBD and BMT), Karachi.
authors.forename: Saqib Hussain
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Ansari
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Hematology, National Institute of Blood Disease Centre and Bone Marrow Transplantation(NIBD and BMT), Karachi.
authors.forename: Tasneem
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Farzana
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Hematology, National Institute of Blood Disease Centre and Bone Marrow Transplantation(NIBD and BMT), Karachi.
authors.forename: Arshi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nazi
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Hematology, National Institute of Blood Disease Centre and Bone Marrow Transplantation(NIBD and BMT), Karachi.
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nadeem
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Hematology, National Institute of Blood Disease Centre and Bone Marrow Transplantation(NIBD and BMT), Karachi.
authors.forename: Rizwan Nabi
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Qureshi
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Hematology, National Institute of Blood Disease Centre and Bone Marrow Transplantation(NIBD and BMT), Karachi.
authors.forename: Kashif
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sheikh
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Hematology, National Institute of Blood Disease Centre and Bone Marrow Transplantation(NIBD and BMT), Karachi.
authors.forename: Jawwad Hasan
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kazmi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000741:Anemia, Aplastic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014505:Urban Population; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D006680:HLA Antigens