Anaemias Flashcards
__________ causes a decrease in the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood.
Anaemia
Anaemia arises because of _______ haemoglobin, or non-functional haemoglobin.
Reduced
True or false: anaemia is not a disease itself, but a symptom of an underlying disease process.
True
List laboratory analytes assessed in anaemia investigation.
Haemoglobin, red cell count (RCC), haematocrit (proportion of RBC:total proportion of blood), red cell index (classification of RBC, based on size and [Hb] content; to calculate index, [Hb] measurement, RCC, and haematocrit are required), and reticulocyte (immature RBC) count
What are the WHO classification of anaemia guidelines?
Non-anaemic
Adult males: >130g/L
Adult females: >120g/L
Grade 1 (Mild anaemia)
Adult males: 110 - 130g/L
Adult females: 110 - 120g/L
Grade 2 (Moderate anaemia)
Both sexes: 80 – 110g/L
Grade 3 (Severe anaemia)
Both sexes: <80g/L
____________ of the nails may be observed.
Koilonychia
True or false: chronic anaemia generally has many symptoms.
False
Mean cell _________ indicates the average volume of individual erythrocytes, indicating whether they are normocytic, microcytic, or macrocytic.
Volume
Mean cell haemoglobin (MCH) determines the average weight of [Hb] in individual ____________.
Erythrocytes
Mean cell ____________ concentration (MCHC) determines the ratio of [Hb] mass to volume in which it is contained; indicates if RBC are normo- or hypochromic.
Haemoglobin
Red cell distribution width (RDW) is useful in the event of ____________.
Anisocytosis
A ____________ count should always be performed in suspected cases of anaemia.
Reticulocyte
What two stains combine to form the Romanowsky stain?
Giemsa and Wright stains
List three further tests for anaemia.
Folate level measurement, iron studies, and liver function tests
___________ defects of anaemia are from problems with the haematopoietic stem cells (HSC) and progenitor cells.
Proliferation
What causes maturation defects?
May be as a result of DNA synthesis, which impacts the nucleus, or may also be caused by cytoplasm issues, such as iron deficiency, thalassaemia, and haemoglobinopathy
Survival defects arise from ________ or haemorrhage.
Haemolysis
Normocytic and normochromic cells indicate __________ anaemias, or anaemia of chronic disease.
Haemolytic
___________ and microchromic cells suggest deficient haemoglobin or defective haem synthesis, such as iron-deficiency anaemia.
Microcytic
Macrocytic cells indicate anaemias that are due to defective _____ metabolism.
DNA
Anaemia with __________ reticulocyte count is associated with haemolysis, acute blood loss, and response to treatment.
Elevated
Diminished reticulocyte counts are associated with bone marrow ____________, due to drugs, toxins, and infection.
Suppression
True or false: normal reticulocyte counts pertain to nutritional deficiency, chronic disease, and erythropoietin-involving anaemias.
True
Blood film, iron studies, and HGB electrophoresis are used in the investigation of ______________ anaemia.
Microcytic
Blood film, serum Vitamin B12 level, serum and RBC folate levels, LFT, s-TSH levels, bone marrow examination, and cytogenetics are used in evaluating ____________ anaemia.
Macrocytic
Blood film, s-bilirubin, s-LDH, iron studies, RFT, erythropoietin level, and bone marrow analysis are performed when assessing _____________ anaemia.
Normocytic
Iron deficiency is associated with hypochromia and ___________.
Microcytosis
Approximately 70% of stored iron is stored as ____________.
Ferritin
Stored iron has an apoferritin shell, with __________core.
Hydroxy
_____________ is an insoluble protein-iron complex, found in macrophages.
Haemosiderin
Name an iron-containing enzyme.
Cytochrome
___________-bound iron is iron in transit to erythroblasts and reticulocytes.
Transferrin
List three foods that are rich in iron.
Red meat, green vegetables, and cereals
Iron absorption occurs in the __________ and upper jejunum
Duodenum
Iron absorption ____________ in iron deficiency.
Increases
Iron absorption ____________ in iron overload.
Decreases
Control of absorption is by the ferritin level of intestinal _________.
Mucosa
______ ferritin level causes increased absorption.
Low
High ferritin level causes absorption _____________.
Inhibition
Iron replacement therapy (very high concentration) employs ____________ ________ across the gut wall.
Passive diffusion
List five factors that favour iron absorption.
Ferrous form Fe++
Organic iron
Acids, such as HCl, and Vitamin C
Solubilising agents, like sugars, or amino acids
Iron deficiency
List five factors dissuading iron absorption.
Ferric form Fe+++
Inorganic iron
Alkalis, antacids
Precipitating agents: phosphates/phthylates
Iron overload
Once iron is absorbed, there is no __________ mechanism for excretion of excess iron from the body, other than blood loss i.e., pregnancy, menstruation, or other bleeding.
Physiological
Transferrin is a ______ globulin.
Beta
Transferrin is synthesised in the _________.
Liver
Transferrin transports iron to specific receptors on _________ erythroblasts.
Marrow
What are the stages of iron-deficiency anaemia development?
Iron depletion
Iron-deficient erythropoiesis
Iron-deficiency anaemia
Iron stores, ferritin and haemosiderin become completely depleted before IDA occurs
List three causes of iron-deficiency anaemia.
Blood loss, malabsorption, and malnutrition
The onset of iron-deficiency anaemia is described as being __________.
Insidious
List four features that would be expected on a blood film for iron-deficiency anaemia.
Pencil cells, hypochromic cells, microcytic cells, and poikilocytosis
_______________ count is high in great blood loss.
Reticulocyte
Reticulocyte count is low in protracted ________ _______.
Blood loss
__________ ______ _________ __________ is a measure of the concentration of transferrin.
Total iron binding capacity