245/246 - Congenital & Acquired Hemolytic Anemias Flashcards
How long do red blood cells usually live?
90-120 days
What is the difference between extracorpuscular and intracorpuscular hemolysis?
-
Extracorpuscular = something is attacking the RBC
- Immunologic
- Mechanical
- Infectious
- Hypersplenism
-
Intracorpuscular = Something is wrong within the RBC
- Hemoglobinopathies
- Enzyme defects
- Membrane abnormalities
What hemolytic anemia will demonstrate absent CD55 and CD59 expression on flow cytometry?
Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH)
- acquired disorder of stem cells caused by mutations in phosphatidyl-inositol-glycan A (PIG A) in the RBC membrane
- GPI protein helps anchor proteins to the lipid bilayer
- leads to complement mediated lysis of RBCs
- may have acute hemolysis at night and wake up to red urine
- Type 3 –> no GPI anchored molecules (most severe)
- Type 2 –> reduced amount
- Type 1 –> almost normal
- Treatment: stem cell transplant is curative
Which protein is deficient in Southeast Asian Ovalocytosis?
Band 3
- Southeast Asian Ovalocytosis is an autosomal dominant disease caused by Band 3 deficiency that displays mild anemia.
- Band 3 plays a critical role in chloride, and bicarbonate exchange; binds cytoplasmic membrane components
What is the only FDA-approved, commonly used drug to treat sickle cell disease?
What is its effect?
Hydroxyurea
Results in increased fetal Hb
Fetal Hb does not sickle
What is the treatment for spur cell (acanthocyte) anemia?
Liver transplant
- Spur cell anemia is caused by liver disease
- -> has a membrane defect that results in excess cholesterol, but normal phospholipid
- -> Fragility
- results in severe anemia and splenomegaly
List 3 mechanisms by which drugs can induce hemolytic anemia
-
Haptan-induced
- Antibody binds to the drug, that is bound to the RBC
- Penicillin, cephalosporin, tetracyclinc
-
Immune-complex
- Antibody binds to the drug-RBC complex (antibody forms complex w/ drug and RBC membrane component)
- Quinine, quinidine, sulfonamides
-
Autoimmune
- Drug induces formation of antibodies against RBCs
- Drug does NOT need to be bound to RBC for antibody binding
- Stopping the drug will not stop the hemolysis immediately
These are all warm autoimmune hemolytic anemias
Which inherited hemolytic anemia is most common?
Which protein is most commonly mutated in this disorder?
Hereditary spherocytosis
- Deficiency in membrane proteins
- Ankyrin >> spectrin > band 3
- -> mechanical instability, membrane loss
- Spheroid, fragile RBCs
What is the most common cause of death in children with sickle cell disease worldwide?
Infection
- People with SCD are more susceptible to infection by encapsulated bacteria (due to functional asplenia)
- Viral infections (parvovirus) may trigger an aplastic crisis
What is the mechanism of hemolysis in hereditary spherocytosis?
Increased splenic trapping
- > Erythrostasis
- > Hemolysis
Where in the body is vaso-occlusion due to RBC sickling most likely to occur?
Post-capillary venules
- This is where RBCs have the least oxygen => most prone to sickling (sickling more likely to occur when deoxygenated)
- Also, these vessels are small
- Sickling -> log jam -> more sickling -> :(((
List two medical complications associated with sickle cell trait
(one mutated copy, one normal copy)
Increased risk of:
- Chronic kidney disease
- Venous thromboembolism (VTE)
Previously thought that sickle cell trait did not cause any problems and was protective against malaria, but looks like it may confer increased risk of these conditions
What kind of immunoglobulin (IgM or IgG) is responsible for warm and cold hemolytic anemia?
- Warm: IgG (or complement)
- Cold: IgM
List 3 important proteins found in the red blood cell membrane
-
Band 3
- Transmembrane
- Binds cytoplasmic components of the RBC membrane
-
Spectrin
- Peripheral
- Supports the lipid bilayer
-
Ankyrin
- Peripheral
- Links spectrin and Band 3
Which virus may lead to an aplastic crisis in patients with sickle cell disease?
Parvovirus
What would you suspect if a patient has warm autoimmune hemolytic anemia with low reticulocytes?
Suspect secondary process, like iron deficiency
How is G6PD deficiency inherited?
X-linked recessive mutation in G6PD gene
Heterozygous 46,XX individuals may have variable expression
- G6PD plays a big role in the pentose phosphate pathway (major metabolic pathway for RBCs)
- G6PD is present in all cells, but can’t be replaced in RBCs
- RBCs w/ have decreased NADPH, decrease of the reduced form of glutathione, and decreased protection from oxidative stress
List 4 possible genotypes that can result in sickle cell disease
- Hb S/S
- Hb S/C
- Hb S/Beta null
- Hb S/Beta (+)
Wild type is Hb A/A
Basically, any combination of 2 non-A alleles can result in sickled red blood cells