Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Haematology > Anaemia > Flashcards

Anaemia Flashcards

1
Q

What are the 6 types of anaemia?

A
  • anaemia of chronic disease (ACD)
  • aplastic anaemia (ApA)
  • haemolytic anaemia (HmA)
  • iron deficiency anaemia (IDA)
  • pernicious anaemia (PA)
  • sideroblastic anaemia (SdbA)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What causes ACD?

A
  • malignancy
  • chronic infection (TB)
  • CTDs (RA)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

How do chronic diseases cause anaemia?

A

IL-1, IL-6
- hepcidin release from liver inhibits Fe absorption (ferroportin activity)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What is ferroportin?

A

Fe export channel
- gut enterocytes
- reticuloendothelial cells (macrophages)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What cells are seen on a blood film in ACD?

A

Initially: normochromic, normocytic

Develops to: hypochromic, microcytic
(low TIBC, high ferritin)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What is aplastic anaemia?

A

Pancytopenia + hypocellular marrow

(no abnormal cells)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What bloods are diagnostic of an aplastic anaemia?

A
  • anaemia (Hb<10)
  • thrombocytopenia (platelets<50)
  • neutropenia (absolute<1.5)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Name the common acquired causes of aplastic anaemia?

A
  • drugs (NSAIDs, chloramphenicol)
  • infection (hepatitis)
  • paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria (PNH)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Name the common inherited causes of aplastic anaemia?

A

Fanconi’s anaemia (AR)
Dyskeratosis congenita (XL)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

How does aplastic anaemia typically present?

A

Pancytopenic features:
- fatigue, pallor
- infection
- easy bruising/bleeding

Risk:
- drug exposure (6/12)
- occ exposure
- recent infection
- comorbidities

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What is Fanconi’s anaemia?

A

Aplastic anaemia +

  • pigmentation abnormalities
  • hearing defects
  • renal/ genital abnormalities
  • solid tumours
  • short stature
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

How do patients with dyskeratosis congenita present?

A

Aplastic anaemia +

  • nail malformations
  • oral leukoplakia
  • reticulated skin rash
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

How is haemolytic anaemia classified?

A

Intravascular
Extravascular
AI (Coombs+)
Non-AI (Coombs -)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

How does haemolytic anaemia present on biochemistry?

A
  • low Hb
  • high UCB, LDH, urinary UBG
  • reticulocytosis
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Intravascular haemolysis releases Hb into the circulation. How does the body deal with this excess Hb?

A

Combination
- haptoglobin
- albumin (methaemalbuminaemia)

Excretion
- urine (haemoglobinuria, haemosiderinuria)

Storage
- haemosiderin (tubular epithelial cells)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What are the causes of intravascular haemolytic anaemia?

A
  • intrinsic cellular injury (G6PD)
  • compliment-mediated lysis (AI, PNH, acute transfusion reactions)
  • mechanical injury (microangiopathy & cardiac valves)
  • autoimmune
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

What are the features of a Glucose-6-phosphate deficiency anaemia? (G6PD)

A
  • XLR
  • presents neonatally with jaundice
  • presents later with episodic intravascular haemolysis (exposure to oxidative stressors)
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

What triggers G6PD?

A
  • intercurrent illness/infection
  • fava beans
  • henna
  • meds: primaquine, sulfa-drugs, nitrofurantoin, dapasone, NSAIDs/aspirin
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

How is a G6PD investigated?

A

Blood film
- Heinz bodies
- bite cells

Diagnostic test
- G6PD enzyme assay

20
Q

How is G6PD managed?

A
  • avoid precipitants
  • transfusions (rare)
21
Q

How does extravascular haemolytic anaemia present?

A
  • hepatomegaly
  • splenomegaly
    (Reticuloendothelial system)
22
Q

What are the causes of extravascular haemolytic anaemia?

A
  • abnormal RBCs (SCA, hereditary spherocytosis)
  • cells marked by abds for splenic phagocytosis
23
Q

What is hereditary spherocytosis?

A

AD
- mutations in RBC membrane proteins
- membrane sections removed by spleen
- reduced SA:vol
= spherical distortion > haemolysis

24
Q

What is the classic presentation of hereditary spherocytosis?

A
  • neonatal jaundice/anaemia
  • splenomegaly
25
Q

Management of hereditary spherocytosis?

A

Conservative
- folate supplements

Severe disease
- splenectomy (<5) curative

26
Q

What is the test for AIHA ?

A

Direct Coombs test
- Abd against autoabd
- cross-link & agglutinate

27
Q

What are the two types of Coombs+ AIHA?

A

Warm & cold AIHA

28
Q

What is warm AIHA?

A

IgG-mediated
- spleen tags cells for splenic phagocytosis

29
Q

What is cold AIHA?

A

IgM-mediated
- IgM fixes complements, causing direct INTRAvascular haemolysis (cold agglutinins)

30
Q

What are the causes of warm AIHA?

A
  • idiopathic
  • lymphoproliferative neoplasms (CLL, lymphoma)
  • drugs (methyldopa)
  • SLE
31
Q

What are the causes of cold AIHA?

A
  • idiopathic
  • infection post-2/3w (EBV, mycoplasma)
32
Q

What disorders present as Coombs- haemolytic anaemias?

A
  • microangiopathy
  • PNH
  • physical lysis of RBCs (malaria)
  • haemolytic uraemic syndrome (E.coli)
  • infection causing DIC (fulminant meningococcemia)
33
Q

What is microangiopathic haemolytic anaemia?

A

A type of intravascular Coombs- haemolytic anaemia
- physical lysis of RBCs by deposited fibrin strands
- schistocytes on film

Cause:
- isolated
- associated with thrombotic microangiopathy syndromes (DIC, haemolytic uraemic syndrome, thrombotic thrombocytopenia purpura)

34
Q

What is PNH?

A

Paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria
- abnormal surface glycoprotein expressed on subclone of RBC marks for complement-mediated lysis

35
Q

How does PNH present?

A
  • young adult
  • nocturnal intravascular haemolysis
  • other stem cell defects
  • increased clotting risk
36
Q

What test is diagnostic of PNH?

A

Flow cytometry

37
Q

In what circumstances would physical lysis of RBCs occur?

A
  • falciparum malaria
  • babesiosis
  • prosthetic valves
38
Q

What is pernicious anaemia?

A

Vitamin B12 deficiency causing anaemia

(2ry to AI impairment of IF production)

39
Q

What causes a Vitamin B12 deficiency?

A

Gastric
- pernicious anaemia
- chronic severe atrophic gastritis
Pancreatic insufficiency
Small bowel
- bacterial overgrowth
- resection of terminal ileum
- Crohn’s
TB
Metformin
ZES

40
Q

What does pernicious anaemia present as on biochemistry?

A
  • macrocytic anaemia
  • high MCH (normal conc)
  • low serum B12, folate
  • low reticulocyte count
  • large, oval-shaped RBCs
  • IF abd/parietal cell abd

(Hyperchlorhydria - gastric body atrophy)

41
Q

How is pernicious anaemia managed?

A

Lifelong replacement (cobalamin)
- monitor for early diagnosis of IDA
- advise about GI complications (gastric cancer, carcinoids)

42
Q

What is sideroblastic anaemia?

A

Microcytic anaemia due to ineffective erythropoiesis (increased Fe absorption in marrow)

43
Q

How does sideroblastic anaemia appear on film?

A
  • sideroblastic inclusions in RC cytoplasm
  • haemosiderosis of liver, heart, endocrine organs
44
Q

How does sideroblastic anaemia present clinically?

A
  • microcytic anaemia refractory to intensive Fe Tx
  • high serum ferritin & Fe
45
Q

What are the causes of sideroblastic anaemia?

A

Congenital (XL, AR, AD)
Acquired
- drugs/toxins (alcohol, Pb, isoniazid)
- myelodysplastic syndromes

Haematology (8 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions