Mnemonic for Causes of pancytopenia

Cytopenia is a reduction in the number of each type of peripheral blood cell. A reduction in all 3 types of cellular components in peripheral blood is termed pancytopenia and this involves anaemia, neutropenia, and thrombocytopenia.

"All my blood has taken some poison"

• Aplastic anemias
• Megaloblastic anemias
• Bone marrow infiltration
• Hypersplenism
• TB
• SLE
• Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria

Initially, mild impairment in marrow function is inapparent and pancytopenia may become apparent only during times of stress or increased demand (e.g., bleeding or infection). More
severe degrees of cytopenias affect the peripheral blood count even in the steady state.

Severe pancytopenia is defined as follows :
i)Absolute neutrophil count < 500/mm3
ii)Platelet count < 20,000/mm3
iii) Corrected reticulocyte count < 1%

The peripheral smear shows pancytopenia with circulating blasts "High power"