Anaemia

Question 1

when does anaemia occur?

Answer 1

when haemoglobin levels fall below the recommended rates.

Question 2

what are the recommended rates for men?

Answer 2

130g/L

Question 3

what are the recommended rates for females?

Answer 3

120g/L

Question 4

what are the 3 types of anaemia?

Answer 4

microcytic, normocytic, macrocytic,

Question 5

what is microcytic anaemia?

Answer 5

small cell size

Question 6

normocytic anaemia?

Answer 6

normal cell size

Question 7

macrocytic anaemia?

Answer 7

large cell size.

Question 8

mean cell/corpuscular volume? mcv

Answer 8

average volume of red blood cell.

Question 9

haematocrit? hct

Answer 9

volume percentage of red blood cells in blood. 45%.

Question 10

mean corpuscular haemoglobin? mch

Answer 10

average amount og haemoglobin per red cell.

Question 11

mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration? mchc

Answer 11

average amount of haemoglobin per unit volume of red blood cells

Question 12

red cell distribution width? rdw

Answer 12

variation in cell volume.

Question 13

why does anaemia occur?

Answer 13

1. there is something wrong with production of rbc
2. there is deficiency in material to make red blood cells
3. there is abnormal loss/breakdown of red blood cells.

Question 14

features of hypochromic microcytic anaemia?

Answer 14

• mcv lower than 80.
• production of red blood cells is smaller than usual.
• decreased haemoglobin production.

Question 15

what are causes of microcytic anaemia?

Answer 15

S - sideroblastic anaemia
L - lead poisoning
I - iron deficiency (most common) (high rdw)(more variation in size of rbc)
T - thalassemia (normal rdw) (less variration in rbc size)

Question 16

what do microcytic anaemia cells look like?

Answer 16

target shaped.

Question 17

What is thalassemia?

Answer 17

genetic disease of haemoglobin synthesis.

• the alpha and beta chains of haemoglobin do not form properly
• abnormal production of haemoglobin protein

Question 18

alpha?

Answer 18

?

Question 19

beta?

Answer 19

?

Question 20

what is hepcidin?

Answer 20

iron regulated acute phase protein.

Question 21

what do increased hepcidin levels lead to?

Answer 21

decreased iron absorption.

Question 22

what synthesises and secreted hepcidin?

Answer 22

liver.

Question 23

what is ferritin?

Answer 23

iron stored.

Question 24

what happens when ferritin is high?

Answer 24

a lot of iron stored in the body.

Question 25

what is transferrin?

Answer 25

a molecule that transports iron.

Question 26

features of normochromic macrocytic anaemia?

Answer 26

mcv greater than 100

Question 27

what are the causes of macrocytic anaemia?

Answer 27

FATRBC. F - foetus (poor folate absorption during preg) A - alcohol (which may lead to B12/folate deficiency) T - Thyroid. R - Reticulocytosis (when there are anormal RBC precursors) B - B12/folate deficiency. C - cirrhosis (liver)

Question 28

when does megaloblastic normochromic macrocytic anaemia occur?

Answer 28

when there are direct DNA problems, leading to production of ineffective/mutated RBC.

Question 29

why may megaloblastic normochromic macrocytic anaemia occur?

Answer 29

- due to b12/folate deficiency. | - particular drugs (antiviral drugs that mess up folate synthesis pathways)

Question 30

what is non-megaloblastic normochromic macrocytic anaemia?

Answer 30

- macrocytic anaemia not caused by DNA damage. | - could be bone marrow issues, thyroid problems, cancer FATRBC

Question 31

what is normochromic normocytic anaemia?

Answer 31

mcv between 80 and 100.

Question 32

what can normochromic normocyti anaemia be caused by?

Answer 32

-anything that doesn't cause microcytiv/macrocytic anaemia (blood loss, haemolysis, anaemia of chronic disease, bone marrow problems.)

Question 33

what is the most common type of normocytic anaemia?

Answer 33

-haemolytic anaemia.

Question 34

what does haemolysis reuslt in?

Answer 34

drop in hb, but no change in size of rbc.

Question 35

what would happen to ldh in haemolytic anaemia?

Answer 35

increase.

Question 36

what would happen to haptoglobin in haemolytic anaemia?

Answer 36

decrease

Question 37

what would happen to bilirubin in haemolytic anaemia?

Answer 37

increase

Question 38

what is bilirubin?

Answer 38

yellow toxic substance insdie tbc that is released when cells lyse. increased bilirubin causes jaundice.

Question 39

what tests happen in haemolytic screen?

Answer 39

``` LDH Haptoglobin bilirubin reticulocyte testing blood films coombs/DAT test- antibodies. ```

Question 40

what are reticulocytes?

Answer 40

precursors to rbc

Question 41

how are reticulocyte levels used?

Answer 41

if problems with rbc/anaemia/blood loss/lysis occur: - increased reticulocyte levels mean the bone marrow is working healthily as it is producing more rbc to make up for loss. - decreased reticulocyte levels indicate there is an issue with bone marrow.

Question 42

what is hepcidin inhibited/induced by?

Answer 42

lipopolysaccharides and IL6