Frequency of Disorders Causing Childhood Thrombocytopenia

Abstract

Objective:To study the relative frequency of the disorders causing childhood thrombocytopenia.
Patients & Methods: This descriptive study was conducted in the Department of Hematology
and Transfusion Medicine Division, the Children Hospital and the Institute of Child Health, Lahore
and the Department of Pediatrics, Services Hospital Lahore. The duration of the study was 1 year
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from March 2005 to April 2006. Two hundred cases having platelet count less than 1, 50,000/mm
were included in this study. Causes of thrombocytopenia were determined on the basis of history,
physical examination and various investigations. The data were collected on a proforma and
analyzed using SPSS for Windows version 8. The results were compared with other studies. ChiSquare test was applied to determine P-values.
Results: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia was found to be the commonest cause of childhood
thrombocytopenia observed in 60 (30.0%) cases, followed by hypoplastic / aplastic anemia 40
(20%) cases, AML in 30 (15%), ITP in 28 (14%) cases and megaloblastic anemia in 20 (10%)
cases. Drugs and infections together caused thrombocytopenia in a considerable number of
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patients. 96 children (48.0%) had platelet count in the range of 11-40 x 10 /L. Hemorrhagic
manifestations were seen in 123 (61.5%) children. Epistaxis and purpura / bruises were the main
presenting bleeding manifestations.
Conclusion: Thrombocytopenia is associated with different disorders and acute lymphoblastic
leukemia was found be the most common of childhood thrombocytopenia.