Aplastic anemia arises when the bone marrow fails to produce enough red blood cells (RBCs), white blood cells (WBCs), and platelets, resulting in various signs and symptoms.
Symptoms Due to Low RBCs:
- Fatigue and persistent tiredness occur due to decreased hemoglobin levels in the blood, making even mild activity exhausting.
- Breathlessness, pale skin, dizziness upon standing or sitting, cold extremities, headaches, and chest pain are common.
- Reduced RBCs force the heart to work harder, potentially leading to irregular heartbeats, murmurs, enlarged heart, or heart failure in severe cases.
Symptoms Due to Low WBCs:
- Vulnerability to infections increases, resulting in fever, frequent bacterial infections, weakness, and flu-like illnesses.
Symptoms Due to Low Platelet Count:
- Easy bruising and bleeding, difficulty in clotting, nosebleeds, bleeding gums, red spots on the skin, blood in stool, heavy menstrual flow, or rectal bleeding post-menopause may occur.
Other Signs and Symptoms:
- Aplastic anemia patients may develop Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria (PNH), a red blood cell disorder, which can be asymptomatic or present with abnormal bleeding from gums, nose, vagina, gastrointestinal bleeding, blood in urine, shortness of breath, jaundice, abdominal swelling and pain, or leg swelling due to blood clots formation.