Incidence of Aplastic Anaemia in Khuzestan Province, Iran: A Retrospective Single-Centre Study
352-355
Correspondence
Fakher Rahim. Research Center of Physiology, Ahwaz Jondishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahwaz, Iran.Tel.: 00986113325267; e-mail: fakherraheem@yahoo.com
Introduction: Aplastic anaemia (AA) is a rare but serious disorder with high mortality and morbidity rates. The incidence of AA worldwide is 2–5 patients/million/year. There is paucity of studies on this disorder from Iran. The aim of the study is to find out the incidence of AA in Khuzestan province, Iran.
Patients, Materials, and Methods: The study was conducted at the Research Center of Thalassemia and Hemoglobinopathies (PCTH), Khuzestan province, Iran, from 21 March 2002 through 21 March 2005. This centre covers the 4.3 million population of Khuzestan province (~20% of Iran’s population). All the haematological findings and bone marrow biopsy specimens were studied at Shafa Hospital, Jondishapur University of Medical Sciences, which is the only oncology centre in Khuzestan province. Patients were diagnosed as having AA if they satisfy two or more of the following criteria: (1) leukocytes <3500/mm3, (2) platelets <50,000/mm3, and (3) haemoglobin <10.0 g/dl or haematocrit <30%, in addition to bone marrow features compatible with AA.
Results: A total of 1753 patients were examined during the study period. Of them, 257 (14.6%, 95% CI: 13.1–16.4%) satisfied AA criteria, giving an incidence of 20 (95% CI: 13–29) cases/million individuals/year in Khuzestan province, Iran. The age distribution of AA showed a bi-modal pattern; males and females aged 15–30 years, the majority of patients falling under this category, were affected equally. There was a gradual decline in the incidence over the studied years.
Conclusion: The incidence established in this study is less than incidences from other parts of the world. This may reflect the role of environmental factors in aetiology of bone marrow suppression.