Chapter 19 - Anemias: Red Blood Cell Morphology and Approach to Diagnosis

Question 1

Which of the following patients would be considered anemic with a hemoglobin value of 14.5 g/dL? Refer to reference intervals inside the front cover of this text.

Answer 1

c. A newborn boy

Question 2

Common clinical symptoms of anemia include:

Answer 2

b. Shortness of breath and fatigue

Question 3

Which of the following are important to consider in the in the patient’s history when investigating the cause of an
anemia?
a. Diet and medications
b. Occupation, hobbies, and travel
c. Bleeding episodes in the patient or in his or her family
members

Answer 3

d. All of the above

Question 4

Which one of the following is reduced as an adaptation to long-standing anemia?

Answer 4

c. Oxygen affinity of hemoglobin

Question 5

An autoimmune reaction destroys the hematopoietic stem cells in the bone marrow of a young adult patient, and the amount of active bone marrow, including RBC precursors, is diminished. The RBC precursors that are present are normal in appearance, but there are too few to meet the demand for circulating red blood cells, and anemia develops. The reticulocyte count is low. The mechanism of the anemia would be described as:

Answer 5

c. Insufficient erythropoiesis

Question 6

What are the initial laboratory tests that are performed for the diagnosis of anemia?

Answer 6

b. CBC, reticulocyte count, and peripheral blood film examination

Question 7

An increase in which one of the following suggests a shortened life span of RBCs and hemolytic anemia?

Answer 7

c. Reticulocyte count

Question 8

Which of the following is detectable only by examination of a peripheral blood film?

Answer 8

d. Poikilocytosis

Question 9

Schistocytes, ovalocytes, and acanthocytes are examples of abnormal changes in RBC:

Answer 9

b. Shape

Question 10

Refer to Figure 19-3 to determine which one of the following conditions would be included in the differential diagnosis of an anemic adult patient with an absolute reticulocyte count of 20 x 10^9/L and an MCV of 65 fL.

Answer 10

c. Iron deficiency

Question 11

Which one of the following conditions would be included in the differential diagnosis of an anemic adult patient
with an MCV of 125 fL and an RDW of 20% (reference interval 11.5% to 14.5%)? Refer to Table 19-4.

Answer 11

d. Vitamin B12 deficiency