More Than a Haematoma: A Case of Aplastic Anemia.

Easy bruising and ecchymosis are common symptoms in clinical practice, yet distinguishing benign from clinically significant cases can be challenging. We report the case of a 46-year-old woman who presented in December 2023 with easy bruising and increased menstrual flow, revealing new-onset pancytopenia in laboratory tests. Initially diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia inversion (inv) (16), subsequent results were inconclusive, leading to a diagnosis of Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria (PNH). Following clinical and analytical deterioration, a repeat bone marrow study in March 2024 identified Aplastic Anemia (AA). When evaluating easy bruising and ecchymosis, a thorough history and physical examination are essential, sometimes requiring further investigation and referral. AA is a rare and heterogeneous disease that requires excluding other causes of bone marrow failure for proper diagnosis. Its severity and the patient's age determine treatment and prognosis. This case underscores the importance of investigating common symptoms that may signal serious underlying conditions, as well as the complexities involved in diagnosing AA.
Competing Interests: Human subjects: Consent for treatment and open access publication was obtained or waived by all participants in this study. Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work.
(Copyright © 2024, Fernandes et al.)