Anemias Flashcards
What are the Microcytic anemias?
- Iron def
- ACD
- Thalassemias
- Lead poisoning
- Sideroblastic anemia
What are the Normocytic Nonhemolytic anemias?
- Anemia of chronic dz
- Aplastic anemia
- Chronic kidney dz
What are the Normocytic Intrinsic hemolytic anemias?
- Hereditary spherocytosis (RBC mem defect)
- G6PD, PK (RBC enzyme def)
- HbC
- Sickle cell anemia
- Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria
What are the Macrocytic Megaloblastic anemias?
- Folate def
- B12 def
- Orotic aciduria
What are the Macrocytic Non-megaloblastic anemias?
- Liver dz
- Alcoholism
- Reticulocytosis
What are the Normocytic Extrinsic hemolytic anemias?
- Autoimmune
- Microangiopathic
- Macroangiopathic
- Infections
What is Microcytic hypochromatic anemia?
MCV <80fL
What causes iron def anemia?
Dec iron d/t chornic bleeding (GI loss, menorrhagia), malnutrition/absorption disorders or inc demand→ dec final step in heme synthesis
What are the findings in Iron def anemia?
- Dec iron
- Inc TIBC
- Dec ferritin
- Microcytosis
- Hypochromia
What is the triad of Plummer-Vinson synd?
- Iron def anemia
- Esophageal webs
- Atrophic glossitis
What is the defect in alpha-thalassemia?
Alpha-globulin gene mutations→ dec alpha-globin synthesis
Which deletion is prevalent in Asian pop w/ alpha-thalassemia?
Cis deletion
Which deletion is prevalent in African pop w/ alpha-thalassemias?
Trans deletion
What are the features of 4 gene deletion alpha thalassemia?
- No alpha globin
- Excess gamma-globin forms gamma 4 (Hb Barts)
- Incompatible with life–hydrops fetalis
What are the features of 3 gene deletion alpha thalassemia?
- HbH dz
- Very little alpha-globin
- Excess ß-globin forms ß4 (HbH)
What are the features of 1-2 gene deletion alpha thalassemia?
No clinically significant anemia
What causes ß-thalassemia?
Point mutations in splice sites & promoter sequences→ dec ß-globin synthesis
Which pop is ß-thalassemia prevalent in?
Mediterranean
What are the findings in ß-thalasemia minor?
- Heterozygote
- ß chain underproduced
- Dx confirmed by inc HbA2 (>3.5%) on electrophoresis
What are the findings in ß-thalassemia major?
- Homozygote
- ß chain is absent
- Marrow expansion
- Inc in HbF (alpha2gamma2)
What does absent ß chain produce?
Severe anemia requiring blood transfusion
(2° hemochromatosis)
What are the features of marrow expansion?
Skeletal deformities
- Chipmunk facies
- “Crew cut” on skull x-ray
What are the features of HbS/ß thalassemia heterozygote?
Mild to moderate sickle cell dz depending on amount of ß-globin production
What does lead poisoning lead to?
- Lead inhibits ferrochelatase & ALA dehydratase→ dec heme synthesis
- Also inhibits rRNA degradation causing RBC’s to reatin aggregates of rRNA (basophilic stippling)
What inc the risk of lead poisioning?
High risk in houses w/ chipped paint
What are the sx of lead poisoning?
- Lead lines on gingivae & metaphyses of long bones on x-ray
- Encephalopathy & erythrocyte basophilic stippling
- Abd colic & sideroblastic anemia
- Wrist & foot drop
What are Burton’s lines?
Lead lines on gingivae
What is the 1st line tx for lead poisoning?
Dimercaprol & EDTA
What is used for chelation in kids?
Succimer
What is the defect in Sideroblastic anemia?
Defect in heme synthesis
What is the defect in Hereditary Sideroblastic anemia?
X-linked defect in delta-ALA synthase gene
What are the reversible etiologies in Sideroblastic anemia?
Alcohol, led & isoniazid
What are the findings in Sideroblastic anemia?
- Ringed sideroblasts (w/ iron-laden mitochondria)
- Inc iron
- Normal TIBC
- Inc ferritin
What is the tx for Sideroblastic anemia?
Pyridoxine (B6 cofactor for delta-ALA synthase)
What is Megaloblastic anemia?
Impaired DNA synthesis→ maturation of nucleus delayed relative to maturation of cytoplasm
Ineffective ereythropoiesis→ pancytopenia
What are the etiologies of Folate deficiency?
- Malnutrition
- Malabsorption
- Antifolates
- Inc requirement
What are the findings in Folate deficiency?
- Hypersegmented neutrophils
- Glossitis
- Dec folate
- Inc homocysteine but normal methylmalonic acid
What are the etiologies of B12 deficiency (cobalamin)?
- Insufficient intake
- Malabsorption
- Pernicious anemia
- Diphyllobothrium latum
- Proton pump inhibitors
What are the findings in B12 def?
- Hypersegmented neutrophils
- Glossitis
- Dec B12
- Inc homocysteine
- Inc methylmalonic acid
What causes the neurologic sx in B12 def?
Subacute combined degeneration d/t involvement to B12 in fatty acid pathways & myelin synthesis
What are the neurologic sx in B12 def?
- Peripheral neuropathy w/ sensorimotor dysfunction
- Posterior columns (vibration/proprioception)
- Lateral corticospinal (spasticity)
- Dementia
What causes Orotic aciduria?
Genetic mutation in enzyme that synthesizes uridine from orotic acid
How does Orotic aciduria present?
In children as megaloblastic anemia that cannot be cured by folate or B12
What are the findings in Orotic aciduria?
- Hypersegmented neutrophils
- Glossitis
- Orotic acid in urine
What is the tx for Orotic aciduria?
Uridine monophosphate to bypass mutated enzyme
What are Nonmegaloblastic macrocytic anemias?
Macrocytic anemia in which DNA synthesis is unimpaired
What are the causes of Nonmegaloblastic macrocytic anemia?
- Liver dz
- Alcoholism
- Reticulocytosis→ Inc MCV
- Drugs (5-FU, AZT, hydroxyurea)
What are the findings in Nonmegaloblastic macrocytic anemias?
Macrocytosis & BM suppression can occur in the absence of folate/B12 def
What are the findings in Intravascular hemolysis?
- Dec haptoglobin
- Inc LDH
- Hb in urine
What are the findings in Extravascular hemolysis?
- Macrophage in splen clears RBC
- Inc LDH plus inc UCB which causes jaundice
What is Anemia of chronic dz (ACD)?
Inflammation→ inc hepcidin→ dec release of iron from macrophages
What is hepcidin?
Released by liver, binds ferroportin on intestinal mucosal cells & macrophages thus inhibiting iron transport
What are the findings in ACD?
- Dec iron
- Dec TIBC
- Inc ferritin
- Can become microcytic, hypochromic or nonhemolytic, normocytic
What causes Aplastic anemia?
Failure or destruction of myeloid stem cells
What are the etiologies of Aplastic anemia?
- Radiation & drugs (benzene, chloramphenicol, alkylating agents, antimetabolites)
- Viral agents (B19, EBV, HIV, HCV)
- Fanconi’s anemia (DNA repair defect)
- Idiopathic
What are the findings in Aplastic anemia?
- Pancytopenia characterized by severe anemia, leukopenia & thrombocytopenia
- Normal cell morphology but hypocellular BM w/ fatty infiltration (dry BM tap)
What are the sx of Aplastic anemia?
- Fatigue
- Malaise
- Pallor
- Purpura
- Mucosal bleeding
- Petechiae
- Infection
What is the tx for Aplastic anemia?
- Withdrawal of offending agent
- Immunosuppressive regimens
- Allogenic BM transplantation
- RBC & platelet transfusion
- G-CSF or GM-CSF
What is the anemic affect of Chronic kidney dz?
Dec erythropoietin→ dec hematopoiesis
What is the defect in Hereditary spherocytosis?
Defect in proteins interacting w/ RBC membrane skeleton & plasma membrane
What does the dec in membrane in hereditary spherocytosis cause?
Small & round RBC’s w/ no central pallor→ premature removal of RBCs by spleen
What are the findings in Hereditary spherocytosis?
- Splenomegaly
- Aplastic crisis (Parvovirus B19 infection)
- Labs: positive osmotic fragility test, normal to dec MCV w/ abundance of cells, masks microcytia
What is the tx of Hereditary spherocytosis?
Splenectomy
What is the defect in G6PD deficiency?
X-linked G6PD→ dec glutathione→ inc RBC susceptibility to oxidant stress
What happens following oxidant stress in G6PD def?
Hemolytic anemia
RBC’s primarily destroyed extravascularly
What are the findings in G6PD def?
- Back pain
- Hemoglobinuria a few days later
- Labs: blood smear shows RBCs w/ Heinz bodies & bite cells
What is the defect in Pyruvate kinase def?
AR defect in pyruvate kinase→ dec ATP→ rigid RBCs
What are the findings in Pyruvate kinase def?
Hemolytic anemia in a newborn
What is the cause of HbC defect?
Glutamic acid-to-lysine mutation at residue 6 in ß-globin
What are the findings in HbC defect?
Pts w/ hbSC (1 of each mutant gene) have milder dz thatn have HbSS pts
What is Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria?
Inc complement-med RBC lysis (impaired synthesis of GPI anchor or decay-accelerating factor that protect RBC mem from complement)
What is the cause of Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria?
Acquired mutation in a hematopoietic stem cell
What is the triad in Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria?
- Hemolytic anemia
- Pancytopenia
- Venous thrombosis
What is shown on labs in paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria?
CD55/59 neg RBCs on flow cytometry
What is the tx of paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria?
Eculizumab
What is the cause of Sickle cell anemia?
HbS point mutation causes a single amino acid replacement in ß chain (substitution of glutamic acid w/ valine) at position 6
What is the pathogenesis in Sickle cell anemia?
Low O2 or dehydration precipitates sickling (deoxy HbS polymerizes) which results in anemia & vaso-occlusive dz
Why are sickle cell anemia newborns initially asx?
Inc HbF & dec HbS
What are heterozygotes w/ sickle cell trait resistance to?
Malaria
8% of ___ ___ carry the HbS trait.
African Americans
What are the findings in Sickle cell anemia?
- Sickled cells are crescent-shaped RBCs
- “Crew cut” on skull x-ray d/t marrow expansion from in erythropoiesis
What are the complications in homozygotes w/ sickle cell dz?
- Aplastic crisis (d/t parvovirus B19)
- Autosplenectomy
- Splenic sequestration crisis
- Salmonella osteomyelitis
- Painful crisis
- Renal papillary necrosis & microhematuria
What does Autosplenectomy inc risk for?
Inc risk of infection w/ encapsulated organisms
What are the painful crisis in sickle cell anemia?
- Dacytlitis
- Acute chest synd
- Avascular necrosis
What is the tx for Sickle cell anemia?
Hydroxyurea (inc HbF) & BM transplantation
What is Warm agglutinin (IgG) seen in?
Chronic anemia seen in SLE, CLL, or w/ certain drugs
What is Cold agglutinin (IgM) seen in?
- Acute anemia triggered by cold
- CLL
- Mycoplasma pneumonia infections
- Infectious mononucleosis
What are the findings in Autoimmune hemolytic anemia?
Usually Coombs’ positive
What is Direct coombs’ test?
- Anti-Ig Ab added to pt’s serum
- RBCs agglutinate if RBCs are coated w/ Ig
What is Indirect Coombs’ test?
Normal RBC’s added to pt’s serum agglutinate if serum has anti-RBC surface Ig
What is the pathogenesis in Microangiopathic anemia?
RBCs are damaged when passing through obstructed or narrowed vessel lumina
What disorders are Microangiopathic anemia seen in?
- DIC
- TTP-HUS
- SLE
- Malignant HTN
What are the findings in Mircoangiopathic anemia?
Shistocytes (helmet cells) are seen on blood smear d/t mech destruction on RBCs
What can cause Macroangiopathic anemia?
Prosthetic heart valves & aortic stenosis may also cause hemolytic anemia 2° to mech destruction
What are the findings in Macroangiopathic anemia?
Schistocytes on peripheral blood smear
What can infections cause?
Inc destruction of RBCs
What are the lab values in Iron def?
- 1° dec serum iron
- Inc Transferring or TIBC
- Dec Ferritin
- Dec % transferrin saturation
What are the lab values in Chronic disease?
- Dec serum iron
- Dec Transferring or TIBC
- 1° Inc Ferritin
What are the lab values in Hemo-chromatosis?
- 1° inc in serum iron
- Dec in Transferrin or TIBC
- Inc Ferritin
- Inc % transferrin saturation
What are the lab values in Pregnancy/OCP use?
- 1° inc in Transferrin or TIBC
- Dec in % transferring saturation
What is the function of Transferrin?
Transports iron in blood
What is the function of Ferritin?
1° storage protein of body
Why does Transferrin or TIBC dec in chronic dz?
Pathogens use ciruclating iron to thrive. Iron is stored w/in the cells of the boyd & prevents pathogens from acquiring iron
When is Transferrin production inc?
Pregnancy & OCP use