Aplastic anemia:

Question 1

Aplastic anemia:

Definition:

Answer 1

• Is a hematologic disorder that is characterized by failure of the hematopoietic precursor cells in the bone marrow to produce adequate numbers of all types of blood cells (pancytopenia)
• Represent an immune-mediated disease caused by cytotoxic T lymphocytes that target differentiating hematopoietic cells in the marrow
• As a result, the hematopoietic stem cells do not seem to undergo normal maturation despite normal or increased levels of cytokines, such as granulocyte- macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), which normally induce the production and maturation of several types of white blood cells

Question 2

Aplastic anemia:

Oral Findings:

Answer 2

• Risk for clinical appearance of oral bleeding due to decreased platelet number typically becomes clinically significant when baseline circulating platelet counts are <25,000/mm3
• Gingival hemorrhage, oral mucosal petechiae, purpura, ecchymoses, and spontaneous oozing of blood from the gingiva and periodontium
• Oral mucosa may appear pale
• Oral ulcerations associated. Minimal erythema is usually associated with the periphery of the ulcers.
• Gingival hyperplasia