haem Flashcards

1
Q

Acanthocytes
(Spur/spike cells)

A

RBCs show many spicules

Liver disease, hyposplenism, abetalipoproteinaemia (rare)

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2
Q

Basophilic RBC stippling

A

Accelerated erythropoiesis or defective Hb synthesis, small dots at the periphery are seen (rRNA)

Lead poisoning, megaloblastic anaemia, myelodysplasia, liver disease, haemoglobinopathies e.g. thalassaemia

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3
Q

Burr cells
(Echinocyte)

A

Like a sea urchin with regular spicules

Often an artefact if blood has sat in EDTA prior to film being made.
Uraemia, renal failure, GI bleeding, stomach carcinoma

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4
Q

Heinz bodies

A

Inclusions on very edge of RBCs due to denatured Hb

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency, chronic liver disease

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5
Q

Howell-Jolly bodies

A

Basophilic (purple spot) nuclear remnants in RBCs

[Note: much bigger purple spots in nucleated RBCs)

Post-splenectomy or hyposplenism (e.g. sickle cell disease)
Megaloblastic anaemia
hereditary spherocytosis

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6
Q

Leucoerythroblastic

A

A phrase to denote the presence of nucleated red blood cells and myeloid precursors in peripheral blood

Bone marrow infiltration i.e. myelofibrosis, malignancy

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7
Q

Pelger Huet Cells

A

Hyposegmented neutrophil with 2 lobes like a dumbbell
Pseudo-pelger huet cells are also hypogranular

Congenital (lamin B Receptor mutation)
Acquired (myelogenous leukaemia and myelodysplastic syndromes [pseudo-pelger in MDS])

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8
Q

Polychromasia

A

Bluish red blood cells due to presence of DNA. Polychromatic cells are usually reticulocytes which are immature RBCs

Usually increased naturally in response to shortened RBC life
↑in haemolytic anaemias
↓aplastic anaemia, chemo

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9
Q

Right shift

A

Hypermature white cells - hypersegmented polymorphs (>5 lobes to nucleus)

Megaloblastic anaemia, uraemia, liver disease

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10
Q

Rouleaux formation

A

Red cells stacked on each other

Chronic inflammation,
paraproteinaemia,
multiple myeloma

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11
Q

Schistocytes

A

Fragmented parts of RBCs – typically irregularly shaped with sharp edges and no central pallor

Microangiopathic anaemia, e.g. DIC, haemolytic uraemic syndrome, thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, pre-eclampsia

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12
Q

Spherocytes

A

Sphere shaped RBCs
Often a little smaller

Hereditary spherocytosis,
Autoimmune Haemolytic Anaemia

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13
Q

Stomatocytes

A

Central pallor is straight, curved or rod-like shape. RBCs appear as ‘smiling faces’ or ‘fish mouth’

Can be an artefact during slide preparation.
If not: Hereditary stomatocytosis, high alcohol intake, liver disease

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14
Q

Target cells (codocyte)

A

Bull’s-eye appearance in central pallor

Liver disease, hyposplenism, thalassaemia, IDA

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15
Q

poikilocytosis

A

(shape) pencil cells

in iron deficiency anaemia

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16
Q

Sideroblastic Anaemia

A

Ineffective erythropoiesis → iron loading (bone marrow) causing haemosiderosis (endocrine, liver, and cardiac damage due to iron deposition).
* Diagnosis: Ring sideroblasts seen in the bone marrow (erythroid precursors with iron deposited in mitochondria in a ring around the nucleus).
* Causes: myelodysplastic disorders, following chemotherapy, irradiation, alcohol excess, lead excess, anti-TB drugs or myeloproliferative disease.
* Treatment: Remove the cause and consider Pyridoxine (vitamin B6 promotes RBC production). Consider giving EPO.

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17
Q

what does Megaloblastic blood film mean?

A

= Hypersegmented polymorphs, leukopenia, macrocytosis, anaemia, thrombocytopenia with megaloblasts. Megaloblasts are red cell precursors with an immature nucleus and mature cytoplasm. B12 and folate are required for nucleus maturation.

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18
Q

how to manage pernicious anaemia ?

A

Treatment: Replenish stores with IM hydroxocobalamin (B12) in 6 injections over 2 weeks.
NICE recommend testing for anti-parietal cell / anti-intrinsic factor antibodies as if there is an autoimmune cause rather than dietary, patients will need 3-monthly IM injections.

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19
Q

inheritance of G6pD

A

X linked recessive

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20
Q

Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency (inheriatnce, features, treatment)

A
  • Autosomal recessive (but autosomal dominant has been observed with the disorder)
  • Clinical features: can be severe neonatal jaundice, splenomegaly, haemolytic anaemia
  • Treatment: most do not require treatment (can incl blood transfusion or splenectomy)
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21
Q

how is sickle cell diagnosed ?

A

Diagnosis: sickle cells and target cells on blood film, sickle solubility test, Hb electrophoresis, Guthrie test (birth) to aid prompt pneumococcal prophylaxis (+FHx)

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22
Q

inheritance of factor 8 and fatcor 9 defiicney

A

X linkned recessive

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23
Q

diagnosis of haemophilia A?

A

Diagnosis: ↑APTT, normal PT and ↓ factor VIII assay.

24
Q

DVT prophylaxis:
*

A

Daily subcutaneous LMWH (prophylactic dose), TED stockings
o Note: Some DOACs are now licensed for DVT prophylaxis e.g. in post-op ortho patients

25
Q

Treatment of DVT/PE:

A

LMWH (treatment dose) followed by Warfarin or Apixaban/Rivaroxaban/Edoxaban (DOACs)

  • LMWH stopped once INR in therapeutic range (2-3) (with some DOACs LMWH can be stopped immediately)
  • Reason for continuing LMWH while warfarin started: Warfarin also affects protein C/S and often leads to procoagulant state in the first few days before anticoagulant effect

Duration of treatment:
* 3 months minimum
* For clearly provoked VTE consider stop at this point
* Unprovoked VTE needs anticoagulation for 6 months
* Otherwise, needs a clinical decision to be made: there are risk stratification tools used for this. Young men and patients with high baseline D-Dimer are at greater risk.
* Recurrent VTE usually needs lifelong treatment

26
Q

Warfarin mechnaism
*

A

Inhibits the vitamin K epoxide reductase enzyme responsible for regenerating the active form of vitamin K and therefore inhibits the synthesis of factors 2, 7, 9, 10 and proteins C, S and Z

27
Q

Heparin mechanism

A
  • Potentiates antithrombin III which inactivates thrombin, and factors 9, 10, 11
28
Q

haem changes in pregnancy

A

plasma volume increase
red cell mass increase
MCV increase
WCC increase

haemoglobin decrease
haematocrit decrease
platelets decrease

29
Q

Auer rods

A

acute myeloid leukaemia

Auer rods are cytoplasmic inclusions containing enzymes such as MPO

30
Q

t(9;22) BCR-ABL1 (Philadelphia chromosome)

A

chronic myleoid leukaemia

31
Q

massive splenomegaly in blood cancer what is it?

A

chronic myeloid leukaemia

32
Q

common mutation in CML

A
  • Ph+ve (Philadelphia chromosome) in 80% = chromosomal translocation (9;22)
    o Using FISH
  • PCR for BCR-ABL (Philadelphia Chr) fusion gene
    o Monitor disease and therapeutic response by monitoring BCR-ABL levels
33
Q

chemo for chronic myeloid leukaemia

A

Tx = imatinib (BCR-ABL tyrosine kinase inhibitor

34
Q

Richter’s transformation

A

– whereby CLL transforms to more aggressive large cell lymphoma

35
Q

smear cells

A

CLL

36
Q

staging for CLL

A

Binet Staging A, B & C (Rai Staging I-IV could also be used)
Stage A
o High WBC
o <3 groups of enlarged lymph nodes
o Usually no treatment required

Stage B
o >3 groups of enlarged lymph nodes

Stage C
o Anaemia or thrombocytopenia

37
Q

different types of non-hodgkins lymphoma and how aggressive / bad they are ?

A

o High Grade
Very Aggressive – Burkitt’s
Aggressive – Diffuse Large B-Cell, Mantle Cell

o Low Grade
Indolent – Follicular, Marginal Zone, Small Lymphocytic

  • HIGHER GRADE LYMPHOMAS ARE EASIER TO TREAT!
38
Q

staging of non hodskins lymphoma

A
  • Staging Lugano
39
Q

“Starry sky” appearance on blood film

A

burkitt’s lymphoma (non hodkins lymphoma)

NOTE: starry sky describes macrophages filled with cellular debris

40
Q

“Angular/
clefted nuclei”

A

Mantle cell lymphoma

41
Q

“Sheets of large lymphoid cells”

A

Diffuse Large
B-cell (DLBC)

42
Q

“Follicular pattern”
“Nodular appearance”

A

Follicular

43
Q

HTLV-1 infection

A

Adult T cell leukaemia/lymphoma

44
Q

lymphoma Associated with mycosis fungoides

A

Cutaneous T Cell Lymphoma

45
Q

t(8;14)

A

burkitts

46
Q

t(11;14)

A

mantle cell

47
Q

t(14;18)

A

follicular

48
Q

t(2;5)

A

anaplastic large cell lymphoma

49
Q

what is multiple myeloma - what proteins invovled ?

A

Multiple Myeloma: neoplasia of plasma cells (effector B cells antibodies) of BM.
Production of monoclonal immunoglobulin - “paraprotein” → IgG most common.
Middle-Aged to Elderly.
Increased incidence in Afro-Caribbeans.

50
Q

Myelodysplastic Syndromes

A
  • Characterised by: peripheral cytopenia; qualitative abnormalities of cell maturation; risk of AML transformation
  • Typically seen in the elderly; symptoms usually develop over weeks/months (incidental)
  • By definition all patients have <20% blasts (>20% blasts = acute leukaemia)

Clinical Features
* BM failure and cytopenias  infection, bleeding, fatigue
* Hypercellular BM
* Defective cells:
o RBCs e.g. ring sideroblasts (abn nucleated blast surrounded by iron granule ring)
o WBCs – hypogranulation, Pseudo-Pelger-huet anomaly (hyposegmented neutro)
o Platelets – micromegakaryocytes, hypolobated nuclei
N.B. In the exam – use an ‘investigative approach’ to pick out clues that lead to classification

51
Q

polycythaemia vera mutation

A

JAK2 (V617F).

52
Q

raised red cells causes ?

A

Primary causes:
* Polycythaemia vera
* Familial polycythaemia

Secondary causes ( EPO):
* Disease states (renal Ca), high altitude, chronic hypoxia e.g. COPD

Relative (Pseudo) Polycythaemia
Red cell mass normal but plasma volume is reduced.
* Dehydration, burns, vomiting, diarrhoea, cigarette smoking

53
Q

masive icnrease in platelets what is it ?

A

Essential Thrombocythaemia (or Thrombocytosis)

An MPD where megakaryocytes dominate the BM.
50% associated with JAK2.

Also associated with MPL mutation and CALR.
Clinical features
* Incidental finding in 50%
* Venous and arterial thrombosis (stroke & MI), gangrene and haemorrhage
* Erythromelalgia
* Splenomegaly, dizziness, headaches, visual disturbances
Investigations
* Platelet count >600x109
* Blood film – large platelets and megakaryocyte fragments
* Increased BM megakaryocytes (not reactive)

Treatment
* Aspirin
* Anagrelide – reduce formation of platelets from megakaryocytes
* Hydroxycarbamide

54
Q

TACO vs TRALI?

A

trali = fever, no heart failure, normal or negative fluid balance, no peripheral oedema

55
Q

trali what does it stand for ?

A

transfusion related acute lung injruy

56
Q

Taco what does it stand for ?

A

transfusion associated cirulatory overload

57
Q
A