No abstract

Summary. Previous studies have suggested an increased incidence of acquired severe aplastic anaemia in Asian populations. We evaluated the incidence of aplastic anaemia in people of Asian descent, using a well-defined paediatric (0-14 years) population in British Columbia, Canada to minimize environmental factors. The incidence in children of East/South-east Asian descent (6AE9/million/year) and South Asian (East Indian) descent (7AE3/million/year) was higher than for those of White/mixed ethnic descent (1AE7/million/year). There appeared to be no contribution by environmental factors. This study shows that Asian children have an increased incidence of severe aplastic anaemia possibly as a result of a genetic predisposition.