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Marrow Cellularity %?
I have a “theoretical” question, but there is a reason I am asking it…
I have read that it is possible to compute a “normal” per cent of bone marrow cellularity by subtracting a person’s age from 100. For example, I am 46 years old, so 100-46 = 54%. In other words, a person my age with normal cellularity would expect to have ~54% active blood making cells in the bone marrow.
Does this mean that as everyone ages, we all will eventually have hypocellular bone marrow (if we live long enough)? Let’s say I am 90 years old – so now am I expected to have 10% cellularity? This doesn’t seem right. I imagine that this general guideline (100 – age = %normal cellularity) is a general guideline and does not hold up for all ages.
The reason I ask is that one of my doctor’s described my particular situation of slowly declining cellularity as if my bone marrow were just slowly “wearing out.” I wondered if, as we age, our marrow does indeed wear out – but not usually at (or anywhere near) age 46.
Any thoughts on this?
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David M, reds/whites/plats slowly declining since 2000; hypo-cellular bone marrow; diagnosed Mild AA; low counts, but stable since 2009; watch and wait -- no treatments required to this point.
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