Anemia Due to Peripheral Erythrocyte Destruction Flashcards
Hemolysis of RBCs (anemia due to peripheral erythrocyte destruction) may result from what?
(4 things)
- congenital hemoglobin abnormalities
- erythrocyte membrane abnormalities
- enzyme abnormalities for RBC metabolism
- acquired via immune processes or infection
- What condition(s) are examples of RBC hemolysis due to congenital hemoglobin abnormalities?
- What condition(s) are examples of RBC hemolysis due to erythrocyte membrane abnormalities?
- What condition(s) are examples of RBC hemolysis due to enzyme abnormalities for RBC metabolism?
- hemoglobinopathies or thalassemias
- hereditary spherocytosis
- G6PD deficiency
- Which RBC hemolysis causes are instrinsic survival defects?
- Which ones are extrinsic (includes factors outside of the cell)?
- congenital hemoglobin abnormalities, erythrocyte membrane abnormalities, enzyme abnormaties for RBC metabolism
- acquired via immune process or infection
- Thalassemias are (…) disorders
- Describe what thalassemia is
- What does thalassemia lead to which is the hallmark of all thalassemia syndromes?
- autosomal recessive disorders
- slowed or defective synthesis of globin chains of the hemoglobin molecule (alpha or beta)
- imbalanced globin chain synthesis
- Major thalassemia disorders are through (…) inheritance
- Minor thalassemia disorders are through (…) inheritance
- homozygous inheritance
- heterozygous inheritance
What is the most common single-gene disorder in the world, with an estimated carrier numbers of more than 270 million, and more than 300,000 children are born each year with one of the syndromes or one of the structural hemoglobin variants?
thalassemia
Thalassemia syndromes are more common in (…) ancestry
mediterranean
- What are the characteristics of RBCs in thalassemia disorders?
- Many subtypes range from (…) to (…) severity
- Very severe cases may require monthly (…)
- thin, delicate, and deficient in hemoglobin (hypochromic)
- mild to extremely severe
- blood transfusions
- What is the oxygen carrying protein of the erythrocyte?
- A single erythrocyte contains as many as (…) hemoglobin molecules
- Hemoglobin has how many pairs of polypeptide chains?
- It also has four colorful (…) complexes
- hemoglobin
- 300 hemoglobin molecules
- two pairs (globulins)
- iron-protoporphyrin complexes
- What is the most common type of adult hemoglobin?
- What chains does this hemoglobin have?
- What is a large, flat, iron-protoporphyrin disk that is synthesized in the mitochondria and can carry one molecule of oxygen?
- hemoglobin A
- two alpha chains and two beta chains
- heme
What are the different types of hemoglobin and what are their characteristics?
- hemoglobin A1: 90% of total hemoglobin
- hemoglobin A2: 1.5%-3.5% of total hemoglobin
- hemoglobin F: 50-90% in neonates; has higher affinity for oxygen than adults
- hemoglobin S: presence abnoral, indicates sickle cell anemia
- plasma: acts as a buffer system if too much acid is in the body; last line of defense
- Low levels of hemoglobin A1 indicate (…)
- High levels of hemoglobin A2 indicate (…)
- Hemoglobin F is normally high in (…) but long term elevations may indicate (…)
- Hemoglobin S is indicative of (…)
- High levels of plasma may indicate (…)
- anemia/blood loss
- thalassemia
- neonates; thalassemia
- sickle cell disease
- hemolitic anemia
In alpha thalassemia, what is not formed correctly and what do you have an excess of?
- alpha chains not formed correctly
- excess beta chains
In beta thalassemia, what is not formed correctly and what do you have an excess of?
- beta chains not formed correctly
- excess alpha chains
- In beta thalassemia, not only is there an excess of alpha chains, but there is also (…) being formed which is a good thing
- However, the excess alpha chains can lead to (…) and (…)
- Hemolysis of RBCs can cause (…) leading to pooling and plasma volume expansion and can cause (…)
- hemoglobin F (high ozygen affinity)
- hemolysis and destruction of RBC precursors
- splenomegaly; anemia
- Anemia due to beta thalassemia can be treated with (…)
- This along with increased iron aborpstion can cause (…)
- This can lead to what negative outcomes?
- transfusions
- iron loading
- endocrine deficiencies, cirrhosis, cardiac failure, death
In alpha thalassemia, the (…) chains are affected; (…) chains are affected in beta thalassemia
- alpha chains
- beta chains
What are the different classifications of beta thalassemia?
- beta thalassemia minor
- beta thalassemia intermedia
- beta thalassemia major: Cooley anemia; can be fatal
What are the different alpha thalassemia classifications?
- alpha trait: single gene
- alpha-thalassemia minor: 2 genes
- alpha thalassemia major: 4 genes; fatal
- hemoglobin H disease: 3 genes (moderate form)
Normally (…) genes control beta-chain synthesis and (…) genes control alpha-chain synthesis
- 2
- 4
What do the three main types of beta-thalassemia cause (or how severe/mild they are)?
- beta-thalassemia minor: mild anemia
- beta-thalassemia intermedia: mild anemia
- beta-thalassemia major: AKA cooley’s disease, severe
Which beta-thalassemia is transfusion dependent?
beta-thalassemia major
What do the four main types of alpha thalassemia cause (or how severe/mild they are)?
- alpha trait: mildest form, usually symptom-free
- alpha-thalassemia minor: similar to beta-minor, mild anemia
- alpha-thalassemia major: severe, usually fatal in utero
- hemoglobin H disease: moderate, may show symptoms
Which alpha-thalassemia is usually fatal in utero?
alpha-thalassemia major
Which thalassemia is this describing:
- mild-to-moderate hypochromic-microcytic anemia
- mild splenomegaly
- bronze coloring of the skin
- hyperplasia of the bone marrow
- usually asymptomatic
hemochromatosis features
beta-thalassemia minor
Which thalassemia is this describing:
- severe anemia
- resulting in large cardiovascular burden
- may be quite ill
beta-thalassemia major
- What are the hemoglobin levels in beta-thalassemia major?
- What are the hemoglobin levels in beta-thalassemia intermedia?
- What can be seen in both beta-thalassemia intermedia and major?
- <7
- 7-10
- liver/spleen enlargement
Which alpha thalassemia is this describing:
- symptom free, having mild microcytosis at most
alpha trait
Which alpha thalassemia is this describing:
- clinical manifestations: virtually identical to those of beta-thalassemia minor
alpha thalassemia minor
Which alpha thalassemia is this describing:
- moderate form; seen in areas high in malaria transmission
hemoglobin H disease
Which alpha thalassemia is this describing:
- hydrops fetalis, a condition in which large amounts of fluid build up in a baby’s tissues and organs, causing extensive swelling
- fulminant intrauterine congestive heart failure (fetus has a grossly enlarged heart and liver)
- diagnosis usually made postmortem
alpha thalassemia major
- What is important in the diagnosis of thalassemias?
- Thalassemia syndromes are sometimes found in (…) which is done in 42 out of 50 states
- The primary evaluation of thalassemias is based on (…)
- Labs show (…) anemia, leading to further investigation
- Individuals with a MCV below (…) and an MCH below (…) with normal iron parameters need to be further investigated. RBC numbers are usually (…) than normal
- family history
- newborn screenings
- hematologic changes
- microcytic anemia
- 80 fL; 27 pg; higher
In the presence of anemia with thalassemic red cell changes, the next step is the evaluation of hemoglobin fractions (HbA, HbA2, HbF, or hemoglobin variants) by (…) or, even better, by high-performance (…)
- electrophoresis on cellulose acetate at alkaline pH
- liquid chromatography
What is the diagnostic test of choice for thalassemia syndromes?
Hg electrophoresis
What are the band sizes of HbA2, HbF, and HbA1 on Hg electrophoresis for these different thalassemias:
- normal
- beta-thalassemia trait
- beta-thalassemia major
- HbA2: thin; HbF: thin; HgA1; thick
- HbA2: thicker; HbF: thin; HbA1: thick
- HbA2: thicker; HbF: thick; HbA1: thin
In sickle cell trait and sickle cell anemia, what shows up as a thick band on the Hg electrophoresis?
HbS
What should you be looking for in patient history in an individual with suspected thalassemia?
- race
- family history
- age of onset
- development
What should you be looking for in a clinical examination on an individual with suspected thalassemia?
- pallor
- jaundice
- splenomegaly
- skeletal deformity
- pigmentation
What should you be looking for on blood count and films in an individual with suspected thalassemia?
- Hb MCV, MCH, retics
- RBC inclusions in blood or bone marrow
- HbH precipitation
What are these lab values in IDA?
- Mentzer’s index (MCV/RBC)
- RDW
- Iron, ferritin, transferrin saturation
- TIBC
- other diagnostic tools
- > 13
- high
- low
- high
- work up the cause of iron deficiency
What are these lab values in thalassemia?
- Mentzer’s index (MCV/RBC)
- RDW
- Iron, ferritin, transferrin saturation
- TIBC
- other diagnostic tools
- <13
- normal
- normal
- normal
- alpha thal: molecular test; beta thal: electrophoresis
What type of cell shapes may you see in thalassemia major and minor?
target cells
What are these lab values in Iron deficiency:
- MCV
- Reticulocyte count
- Ferritin
- Mentzer index for children (MCV/RBC)
- Hb electrophoresis
- low
- low
- low
- > 13
- normal; may have reduced HbA2
What are these lab values in beta thalassemia:
- MCV
- Reticulocyte count
- Ferritin
- Mentzer index for children (MCV/RBC)
- Hb electrophoresis
- low
- minor: low or increased; major: increased
- normal
- <13
- increased HbA2, reduced HbA, probably increased HbF
What are these lab values in alpha thalassemia:
- MCV
- Reticulocyte count
- Ferritin
- Mentzer index for children (MCV/RBC)
- Hb electrophoresis
- low
- minor: normal; H: increased
- normal
- <13
- adults: normal; newborns: may have HbH or HbBart’s
What drives the diagnosis of thalassemia?
electrophoresis
What is the treatment for thalassemia minor?
- no specific treatment
- genetic counseling
- pregnant females may become more anemic in 2nd/3rd trimester = support with folic acid/iron as needed
Patients with thalassemia minor should receive iron supplements only if needed as they are at risk for (…) if ferritin is normal
iron overload
What is the treatment for thalassemia major?
- genetic counseling
- blood transfusions (dependent)
- iron chelation therapy
- splenectomy
- bone marrow, cord blood, stem cell transplantation
What is currently the only cure for thalassemia major?
bone marrow, cord blood, stem cell transplantation
Why would someone with thalassemia major get a splenectomy?
spleen is enlarged, can be killing RBCs too early, and gets to a point where it can rupture which is dangerous
- Treatments for thalassemia major have prolonged life expectancy into the (…)
- Death is usually from (…)
- What is the conventional treatment for thalassemia major?
- 30s and 40s
- cardiac failure
- regular blood transfusion theray and iron chelation
- What is the primary goal of conventional treatment for thalassemia major (regular blood transfusion and iron chelation)?
- When is this treatment usually administered?
- What is the desired hemoglobin levels?
- What do providers use to minimize transfusion reactions and pathogen transmission?
- What adverse effect of transfusion is rare, but severe?
- to control the ineffective erythropoiesis, its consequences, and the burden of iron on the body
- every 2-5 weeks
- at least 12 g/dL
- use leuko-reduced packed RBCs
- transfusion-related acute lung injury
- Patients with thalassemia major may require (…) due to hypersplenism
- The mortality post-splenectomy is (…) due to severe and overwhelming infection
- (…) is inevitable but a serious complication due to both transfusions and hyperabsorption of dietary iron
- This can cause (…)
- splenectomy
- 50%
- iron overload
- iron-induced cardiac disease
What is a major recycler of RBCs?
the spleen
What is the treatment for thalassemia intermedia?
- more complicated treatment due to various phenotypes
- transfusion therapy, splenectomy, modulation of HbF production, and HSCT (hematopoietic stem cell transplant)
Studies are showing it may be beneficial to start (…) for thalassemia intermedia earlier than classically waiting until complications arise
HSCT
What are the other names of hereditary spherocytosis?
- congenital hemolytic anemia
- congenital acholuric jaundice
- What is the most common of the hemolytic disorders in which no hemoglobin abnormality exists?
- How is this disorder inherited?
- hereditary spherocytosis
- autosomal dominant
What does this describe:
- congenital abnormality of proteins or spectrins of the erythrocyte membrane, leading to an increased concentration of intracellular sodium (and thus water)
hereditary spherocytosis
- (…) leads to thickened, almost spheric, erythrocytes that are fragile and susceptible to spontaneous hemolysis which decreased survival in circulation
- What does this disorder result in?
- hereditary spherocytosis
- chronic anemia with reticulocytosis and episodes of mild jaundice due to hemolysis
What are the 3 symptoms of an acute crisis of hereditary spherocytosis?
- gallstones
- fever
- abdominal pain
- What is the primary mechanism of hemolysis?
- The lifespan of RBC can shorten to (…) days
- Usually, someone can compensate through childhood with increased (…)
- splenic destruction of deformed RBCs (abnormal RBCs trapped in microcirculation and ingested by phagocytes)
- 20-30 days
- erythropoiesis
What is the differential diagnosis of spherocytes on a peripheral smear?
- hereditary spherocytosis
- autoimmune hemolytic anemia
- thermal injurys
- microangoipathic/macroangiopathic hemolytic anemias
- hepatic disease
- clostridium septicemia
- transfusion reactions with hemolysis
- poisoning w/ certain snake, spider, and Hymenoptera venoms
- severe hypophosphatemia
- heinz body anemias
- ABO incompatibility (neonates)