Exo- Blood, Anaemia, Haemostasis Flashcards
How much blood in L do adults have
5L
What % of blood is
- plasma
- Buffy coat (leukocytes, platelets)
- Erythrocytes (the haematocrit)
- Plasma 55%
- Buffy Coat (leukocytes and platelets) <1%
- Erythrocytes or “Haematocrit” 45%
What is haematopoiesis
formation of blood cells
Start as pluripotent hematopoietic stem cell “Hemocytoblast”
Pluripotent cells then differentiate into mature cells!
Mature blood cell examples
Platelets,
Erythrocytes,
White cells
lymphocytes.
Mature cells have a finite lifespan in the blood… how long for
- red
- platelets
- white cells
- Red cells= 120 days
- Platelets= 7-10 days
- White cells= 6 hours
What Hormones stimulate and control blood cell production?
- Red cells: erythropoietin (EPO)
- White cells: granulocyte colony stimulating factor (GCSF)
- Platelets: thrombopoietin (TPO)
Describe Red cells, Erythrocytes
• Simple cell; no nucleus or mitochondria
• Biconcave disc
- Maximises surface area to volume ratio, SA:V (Greater SA)
- Flexible (can move through capillary beds)
• 4 x 1012/L. (per L of blood)
• Contains haemoglobin, able to carry oxygen
What is • Haemoglobin?
contains iron which reversibly binds oxygen in lungs.
- This oxygen is then carried to and released to tissues
What is Anaemia?
Causes?
deficient haemoglobin levels (or red cells?)
- Acute: due to blood loss (e.g.)
- Chronic: due to vitamin deficiencies, sickle cell disease
Symptoms of anaemia?
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Pallor- pale appearance
- Headaches
What is polycythaemia?
Causes?
an increase in red cells (thick blood is hard to pump around the body!)
Causes:
- Raised levels of Erythropoietin (EPO) hormone levels due to hypoxia
- Reduction in plasma volume due to dehydration or smoking
What are platelets?
- Tiny anucleate cells
- Made from megakaryocytes in bone marrow
- Circulate in resting state
- Bind to damaged vessel wall to plug hole and stop bleeding (blood clotting)
- 140 – 400 x 109/L of blood
Name for low platelet count?
thrombocytopenia
- Platelets <80 increased risk of bleeding
- Platelets < 20 spontaneous bleeding / bruising
Name for high platelet count?
thrombocytosis
- Increased rates of arterial and venous thrombosis (obstructing blood flow in circulatory system)
What are neutrophils
- The most prevalent white cell in blood
- Phagocytose and kill bacteria
- Release cytokines/chemokines which cause an inflammatory response- temperature
- “Neutrophilia” Increased in bacterial infections
- Neutropenia” Low number after chemotherapy or frequent/severe infections
What are lymphocytes
- Fight viral infections
- “Lymphocytosis” high number in EBV infection (glandular fever)
- “Immunodeficiency” Lack of lymphocytes
- E.g. HIV virus infects CD4 T cells- Immunodeficiency virus
What are B Lymphocytes (made in bone marrow)
- Differentiate into plasma cells
- Produce immunoglobulins (antibodies) when stimulated by exposure to a foreign antigen
- Vital for immunity and response to vaccinations
What are T lymphocytes?
- CD4 (helper) cells
- CD8 (cytotoxic) cells
- Aid B cells in antibody generation and also responsible for cell mediated immunity
What is Leukaemia?
Leukaemia- Malignancy of white blood cells
Difference between acute and chronic leukaemia?
Acute leukaemia: proliferation of immature cells without differentiation
Chronic leukaemias: proliferation with differentiation
In leukaemia- Bone marrow is replaced by malignant cells, symptoms:
Anaemia (fatigue, pallor)
Neutropenia (infections)
Thrombocytopenia (bleeding & bruising)
4 Classifications of Leukaemia…
- Acute myeloid leukaemia- Myeloblast
- Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia- Common lymphoid progenitor
- Chronic myeloid leukaemia
- Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia- B lymphocytes
What is lymphoma?
Malignancy of lymphoid cells, predominantly in lymph nodes
• Hodgkin’s lymphoma
• Non Hodgkin lymphoma
What is myeloma?
Malignant proliferation of plasma cells
Produces monoclonal immunoglobulin (paraprotein)
Clinical features:
Calcium (hypercalcaemia – bone pain, constipation)
Renal failure
Anaemia
Bone lesions (lytic lesions, fractures, pain)
Treatment – outpatient, mainly oral chemotherapy
Name some Plasma proteins and their functions?
Albumin- regulate the oncotic pressure of blood
- Carrier proteins for nutrients or hormones etc.
- Coagulation proteins
- Series of proteins that circulate in an inactive form
- Function= make blood clot
- Convert soluble fibrinogen-> insoluble fibrin polymer
- Overactivity= thrombosis
- Failure= bleeding
• Immunoglobins (Antibodies)
- Produced by plasma cells in response to exposure to foreign substance
- Different classes (IgG, IgA, IgM, IgE)
- Basis of vaccination
Red cells carry proteins on their surface (antigens) which differ between individuals
- Over 400 different systems of red cell antigens
What are the 2 main ones?
2 most important systems:
ABO and Rhesus
- Donors must be compatible in both systems!
How does the ABO blood group system work…
Inheritance pattern=
- O is recessive, so O = O,O
- A = AA or AO,
- B = BB or BO,
- AB = AB
UK population: O= 45%, A= 40%,B=12%, AB= 3%
Who can O receive/give blood to?
O blood has neither A or B antigens, has Antibodies against both!
Can receive blood from only O (Universal donors) but can give blood to all 3 other types.
What can A give/receive blood to?
- Give to A or AB
- Receive from A or O
Have A antigens and antibodies against B.
What can AB give/receive blood to?
Both A and B antigens but no antibodies
- Can receive from everyone (Universal recipients)
- Only give blood to AB
How does Rhesus system work?
Rh system
- if Rh antigen is present on surface of RBC= Rh positive +
- if Rh antigen is NOT present on surface of RBC= Rh negative +
85% of population D positive.
If you are D negative you can make anti D.
o Pregnancy- women given anti D to prevent sensitisation
Indications for a blood transfusion
- Hypovolaemia/ blood loss
- Severe anaemia
- Anaemia that cannot be corrected by bone marrow function
Contradictions to blood transfusions
- Iron deficiency or B12/folate def
- Minor blood loss
- Asymptomatic anaemia
A blood transfusion can also have serious, life-threatening complications- RISKS
• ABO incompatibility reaction – can be rapidly fatal
• Delayed transfusion reactions
• Febrile (fever) reactions, urticarial reactions (hives/ skin rash)
• Fluid overload, pulmonary oedema
• Infections:
- Bacterial
- Viral (HIV, hepatitis B and C)
- Malaria
- Prions (vCJD)
• Long term – iron overload: damage to heart, liver
Definition of anaemia?
Haemoglobin concentration below normal range ‘grams per litre’
Symptoms of Anaemia- what the px complains
- Fatigue
- Reduced exercise tolerance
- Shortness of breath on exertion and at rest
- Postural hypotension
- Dizziness
- Palpitations
- Angina- when anaemia is very severe
- Heart failure- shortness of breath (SOB) (anaemia is very severe)
Signs of Anaemia- what is found when examining the px
- Pallor- pale
- Tachycardia
- Heart murmurs
- Koilonychia (iron deficiency)- finger nails go the opposite way
- Angular stomatitis
- Glossitis (B12/ folate deficiency)
What is • Mean cell volume (MCV)?
in fl= femtolitres
how big the red cells are
- Low <82 Microcytic anaemia- red cells are too small due to iron deficiency
- Normal= Normocytic
- High > 96 Macrocytic anaemia – big size, vitamin b12 and folic acid deficiency
Classification of Anaemia (3)
- Microcytic
- Macrocytic
- Normocytic
Causes of Microcytic anaemia
small RBCs
- Iron deficiency
- Thalassaemia; group of inherited conditions that affect haemoglobin- produce no/little haemaglobin
- Anaemia of chronic disease (rarely)
Causes of macrocytic anaemia (big RBCs)
- vit. B12 deficiency
- B9 deficiency
Causes of Macrocytic RBCs without anaemia
- Liver disease
- Hypothyroidism
- Alcohol
Causes of Normocytic anaemia- when BCs are normal sized
- Acute bleeding- lose lots of red cells
- Haemolysis: congenital, acquired
- Aplastic anaemia
- Anaemia of chronic disease
Physiological Adaptations to Anaemia-
- Tachycardia- pump blood around body faster to get more oxygen to tissues
- Cardiomegaly- abnormal enlargement of the heart
- Increased cardiac output
- Right shift oxygen dissociation curve- better delivery of oxygen to the tissues
Cause of iron deficiency:
- Reduced intake (almost impossible in the UK)
- Increased requirements e.g. pregnancy/ childbirth, malabsorption, coeliac disease
- Chronic blood loss- Menorrhagia (heavy menstrual bleeding), GI blood loss: Upper GI/ Lower GI
- Abnormal if food in men- investigate GI tract!! As they don’t have periods
How to do diagnose.. Diagnosis of Iron deficiency-
Full Blood Count (FBC): Hb, MCV, MCHC (all 3 parameters will be low)
• Main test used in UK= Serum Ferritin- measure amount of ferritin in the blood
Extra tests (not usually used)- • Fe and TIBC • Bone marrow or liver biopsy = tissue iron stores
Treatment of Iron deficiency
Treat the cause
Ferrous sulphate 200mg oral od, until haemoglobin normal and then further 3 months to rebuild stores
B12 and Folate deficiency- these are required by all cells!
For what? (2)
- Necessary for haematopoiesis
- Necessary for DNA synthesis of all cells
What does B12/folate deficiency cause? (4)
- Megaloblastic anaemia-
- Macrocytic anaemia (High MCV of >96 fl)
- leukopenia
- thrombocytopenia