Diagnostic Significance and Association of Reticulin Fibrosis in Benign Hematologic Disorders

Abstract

Reticulin fibrosis is a feature of benign illnesses. Reticulin staining is used to identify benign hematological abnormalities in bone marrow, with trichrome staining being the most appropriate procedure for histological examinations. Objective: To assess the association of reticulin fibrosis to benign hematological disorders. Methods: Patients with benign hematologic illnesses such as iron deficiency anemia, megaloblastic anemia, aplastic anemia, and immune thrombocytopenic purpura at department of hematology, Sheikh Zayed Medical Complex, Lahore were included. The sample size was 96 cases, with 24 cases for each disorder.  Bone marrow samples were taken from the anterior iliac spine of patients diagnosed with benign hematologic diseases. The reticulin fibers were graded using the Thiele grading scale. Results: The gender distribution was significant, with ITP and IDA being higher in females, whereas MA was more prevalent in men. The age distribution was almost the same, with ITP the lowest mean age was 40.5 years, while the highest mean age was 46.7 years in cases with aplastic anemia. Reticulin stain results showed significant differences among the four groups, with all cases in MA, IDA, and AA having grade-0 results. Conclusion: The reticulin stain can distinguish between ITP and other hematological illnesses, as well as grade reticulosis in bone marrow biopsies, making it a helpful tool for detecting benign hematological disorders.