Anaemia and Microcytic anemia Flashcards
Define anaemia
- reduced total RED CELL mass
What are the markers for anaemia?
- HEMATOCRIT
- Hb conc.
When are you considered anaemic?
- man: <130 g/L (Hct: 0.38-0.52)
- WOMAN: <120g/L (Hct: 0.37- 0.47)
What is the role of the macrophage to the red cell? -
- provides iron to the RBC
How to measure Hb conc. using the spectrophotometric method?
- lyse the red cells and create a Hb solution
- stabilise the Hb molecules with a CHELATING agent
- measure the OPTICAL density at 540nm *more OD = more Hb)
- —conc is calculated against the KNOWN standard
How to measure hematocrit?
- ratio/ % of the WHOLE blood that is RED when the sample settles
- MODERN machines calculate by ADDING the calculated volume of the red cells
When are Hb/Hct NOT a good marker of anaemia?
when they are not in a steady state
- those who have a MASSIVE, RAPID blood loss
- —-Hb will appear the SAME amount as prior the blood loss (untilplasma expansion) - hemodilution (raised plasma volume will cause a proportionate reduction in Hb)
How does the bone marrow respond in anaemia?
What are they >
- rise in RETICULOCYTES
- —they are red cells that have JUST left the BONE marrow
What do reticulocytes appear as?
- larger than avg red cells
- purple appearance (d.t RNA reminence)
- POLYCHROMATIC in blood film
- —remnants of protein making machinery
How long does it take the reticulocytes to appear in the blood smear?
- a few days
What do automated analysers tell us about red cells?
- cell size (MCV)
- # OF RED CELLS (CONC)
- Hb conc.
What are the fts of automated analysers?
light scattering properties
- rapid
- reproducible
2 Main pathophysiological paths of anaemia?
How does the retic counts differ from one another?
- decr. prodn (LOW retic count)
- incr. destruct. or LOSS of red cells (HIGH retic. count)
What is another name for decr. prodn?
- Hypoproliferative (reduced rate of erythropoiesis)
- maturation abnormality (ineffective erythropoiesis)
What causes incr. destr. of red cells?
- bleeding
- hemolysis
Where may the maturation abnormality be present?
- NUCLEAR defects (impaired cell division)
- CYTOPLASMIC DEFECTS (impaired hemoglobinisation)
If MCV is LOW, what may it indicate?
- probable issue with hemoglobinisation
IF MCV is HIGH, what may it indicate?
- issue with MATURATION