Dyscrasia

Dyscrasia is a term used in medicine to denote an abnormal composition of the blood or a disorder of the hematopoietic system. It originates from Greek dys- meaning bad and krasis meaning mixture. It is a broad, descriptive term rather than a specific diagnosis, and historically encompassed a range of conditions affecting red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, or plasma proteins.

In modern usage, dyscrasia is generally avoided in favor of precise diagnoses such as anemia, thrombocytopenia, leukopenia, polycythemia, or hematologic malignancies. However, it may be used to describe a constitutional vulnerability to hematologic disease or a general disturbance in blood cell development.

Causes are diverse and include genetic abnormalities, bone marrow dysfunction, nutritional deficiencies (iron, vitamin B12, folate), autoimmune destruction, infections, medications, toxins, and neoplasms that infiltrate the marrow.

Clinical features depend on the component involved and may include fatigue and pallor from anemia, increased infections from leukopenia, bleeding or easy bruising from thrombocytopenia, or signs related to malignant processes such as bone pain or organomegaly. Diagnosis relies on laboratory testing including complete blood count with smear, reticulocyte count, iron studies, vitamin levels, and, when indicated, bone marrow examination.

Management targets the underlying cause and may involve supplementation, transfusion support, antimicrobial therapy, or disease-specific treatment such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy, or stem cell transplantation.