Aplastic Anemia and Leukopenia

Introduction to Aplastic Anemia

• Aplastic anemia definitively causes leukopenia as part of its characteristic pancytopenia presentation, according to the European Hematology Association 1, 2

Diagnostic Considerations

• Aplastic anemia must be distinguished from hypocellular myelodysplastic syndrome (H-MDS) and hypocellular acute myeloid leukemia (H-AML), both of which present with pronounced cytopenia and hypocellular marrow, as recommended by the European Hematology Association 1, 2
• Bone marrow biopsy is critical and necessary for definitive diagnosis, showing severely reduced cellularity without dysplasia or abnormal blast clusters, as stated by the American Society of Hematology 3