WHO Criteria for Cytopenias

• Platelet count <100,000/μL
• Hemoglobin <10g/dL
• Absolute neutrophil count <1,800/μL

The WHO Classification does state patients with MDS may present having mild cytopenias with values above the defined levels.

Cytopenias refer to an abnormally low state with regards to a particular hematologic variable.  Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) characteristically have one or more cytopenias.  However, it is important to understand the threshold for a cytopenia per the WHO Classification versus a low out of “normal” range for a particular hematologic variable.  That said, these are not “definite” to exclude the diagnosis of an MDS if other features are characteristic.

References

Swerdlow SH, Campo E, Harris, NL, Jaffe ES, Pileri SA, Stein H, Thiele J (Eds):  WHO Classification of Tumours of Haematopoietic and Lymphoid Tissues (Revised 4th edition). IARC: Lyon 2017