FBC Flashcards

1
Q

What can a FBC detect?

A
Hb conc
Haematocrit
Red cell count
Mean cell volume
Mean cell Hb
Mean cell Hb conc
Reticulocyte count
WBC differential
Platelet count
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

What is haematocrit?

A

Also known as packed cell volume - The proportion of blood taken up by RBC

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

What is red cell count used for?

A

Used in microcytic anaemias

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What is mean cell volume?

A

Shows the size of RBCs, used to determine the type of anaemia.
PCV / RBC count

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What is MCH?

A

Hb / RBC count

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What is MCHC?

A

Hb / PCV

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What is WBC differential?

A

Sum of the leukocytes and immature precursors.

Neutrophils should be greater than lymphocytes in adults but the opposite in children.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What is a blood film?

A

Shows if the FBC is accurate, clumping, shapes of RBC, Hb content and presence of blasts

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What is hypochromic?

A

Pale, low Hb content

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What is EDTA Ig?

A

EDTA collates Ca in the blood to prevent clotting. The Ig causes clumping in a test tube but is asymptomatic in the body.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What does a low Hb conc mean?

A

<13g.dL males or <11.5g.dL = ANAEMIA

<130g.L, <115g.L

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What does a low MCHC show?

A

Hypochromic = microcytic anaemia

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What does a high MCHC show?

A

Hyperchromic due to spherocytosis and sickle cell

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What does a high reticulocyte count show?

A

Attempt to increase RBC production due to HAEMOLYSIS

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What does a high haematocrit and red cell count show?

A

ABSOLUTE POLYCYTHEMIA >55%

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What is polycythemia vera?

A

A BM disease causing increased production of blood cells. Precursor to acute myeloid leukaemia.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

How does polycythemia present?

A

Splenomegaly, pluritis (itching), plethoric face (red faced)

18
Q

How is absolute polycythemia treated?

A

Venosection to remove the blood volume and hydrocycarbiamide

19
Q

What does the presence of immature leukocytes show?

A

Sepsis or leukaemia

20
Q

What does a high neutrophil count show?

A

Neutrophilia - Pregnancy or corticosteroids

21
Q

What does a low neutrophil count show?

A

Neutropenia - reduced production from deficiencies, increased destruction from AI or chemo, sequestration

22
Q

How is neutropenia treated?

A

Prophylactic antibiotics and G-CSF to boost neutrophil count

23
Q

What is demargination?

A

Neutrophils sit on the vascular endothelium to respond quickly in high numbers. But during a seizure the neutrophils dissociate from the endothelium and the seizure then presents as an infection due to the neutrophilia.

24
Q

What is lymphocyte count affected by?

A

Production under GF control
Antigen driven proliferation during infection
Sequestration within lymphoid tissue
Apoptosis through receptor ligation and GF deprivation and phagocytosed by macrophages to prevent intracellular spillage

25
Q

What does a monoclonal expansion of lymphocytes suggest?

A

Malignancy in the absence of infection

26
Q

What may cause lymphocytosis?

A

Smoking, splenectomy, infection, lymphoproliferative disease

27
Q

What is Hodgkin’s lymphoma?

A

Affects B lymphocytes and starts in the lymphatic system

28
Q

What is Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma?

A

Affects both B and T lymphocytes and can start either in the lymphatic or in other organs.

29
Q

What is leukaemia?

A

Neoplasm that arises in the marrow and spreads to blood

30
Q

What may be the cause of lymphopenia?

A

SCID

31
Q

What is suggested by an increase in monocytes?

A

Infection of leukaemia

32
Q

What is suggested by a decrease in monocytes?

A

Genetic defect in maturation or BM infiltration

33
Q

What is suggested by an increase in basophils?

A

Malignancy, infection, HYPOthyroidism

34
Q

What is suggested by a decrease in basophils?

A

HYPERthyroidism, steroids, anaphylaxis

35
Q

What is suggested by an increase in eosinophils?

A

Parasitic infection, allergy, drug reaction

36
Q

What is suggested by a decrease in eosinophils?

A

Alcohol, steroids

37
Q

What is thrombocytopenia?

A

A reduced platelet count of <150cells/cm3 with the increased risk of excessive bleeding

38
Q

What causes thrombocytopenia?

A

Underproduction - reduced megakaryocytes levels. Caused by infections, drugs (chemo), vit B12 and folate deficiency, aplastic anaemia
Increased destruction - Increased megakaryocyte levels. Caused by ITP, lupus, DIC, CVID
Sequestration - within the spleen due to cirrhosis, virus or malignancy

39
Q

What is ITP? How is it treated?

A

Immune thrombocytopenic purpura. Autoimmune related due to HIV or Hep C.
Treated with steroids, azathiopine and splenectomy to remove autoIg.

40
Q

What may cause abnormal platelet function and therefore prolonged bleeding time?

A

Van Willebrand disease detected by PFA-100 test
Aspirin - inhibits cyclo-oxygenase irreversibly for 1 week (needed for thromboxane production)
Iron and folate deficiency