Bone marrow biopsy as a new practice in a tertiary hospital center in Tirana Correlation with the literature and future perspective

Abstract Background This study employed a retrospective, descriptive design. All variables were entered into a database using Microsoft Excel and subsequently analyzed using statistical methods to calculate frequencies and levels of statistical significance ( p -values). Objectives The study aimed to examine the distribution of diagnostic categories across different years, develop an epidemiological database based on age, gender, and time periods, and evaluate diagnostic challenges by identifying the factors influencing them. Materials and Methods A total of 372 bone marrow biopsies collected over a three-year period (January 2019 to December 2021) were included in the study. Data obtained from biopsy reports were analyzed and compared in relation to clinical diagnosis, patient age, gender, and temporal distribution. Histopathological parameters assessed included cellularity, clonal maturation, fibrosis, and the application of immunohistochemical panels. Results The most frequent diagnosis was myeloproliferative disorders, accounting for 193 cases (52%, p < .01), followed by lymphoproliferative disorders with 78 cases (21%), of which non-Hodgkin lymphoma represented 69.2%. The annual distribution of myeloproliferative disorders demonstrated statistically significant differences for polycythemia vera ( p < .01) and essential thrombocythemia ( p < .01). The mean age of patients with hematologic disorders was 58.9 years, with the highest proportion of cases occurring in the sixth decade of life (33.2%). A slight male predominance was observed (male-to-female ratio 1.2:1), with a statistically significant variation in this ratio ( p < .01), reaching 1.8:1 in 2021. Additionally, in 2021, a new category of biopsy reports (1%) characterized by reactive changes was identified. According to existing literature, such histological alterations have been observed in patients with severe COVID-19 infection.