Haem Flashcards
What is a PT blood test?
Measure of the time for a blood clot to form via the extrinsic pathway.
What is an APTT blood test?
Measure of the time for blood to clot via the intrinsic pathway
Associated with factors 8, 9 and 11
What diseases have a prolonged thrombin time?
DIC, liver failure malnutrition, abnormal fibrinolysis
Causes of microcytic anaemia?
Anaemia of chronic disease, thalassaemia, iron deficiency and sickle cell
Causes of normocytic anaemia?
Acute blood loss, chronic disease, pregnancy, renal failure,
Causes of Macrocytic anaemia?
B12 deficiency, excess alcohol/liver disease, hypothyroidism, bone marrow failure.
Symptoms of anaemia?
Fatigue, headache, irritability, difficulty concentrating, dyspnoea and breathlessness, anorexia, intermittent claudication, palpitations.
Signs of anaemia?
Pallor, tachycardia, systolic flow murmur, cardiac failure, spoon shaped nails, angular stomatitis.
Investigations for anaemia?
FBC, reticulocyte count, serum iron and ferritin test, peripheral blood smear (to look at shape of RBC’s, Haemoglobin electrophoresis.
Treatment for iron deficiency anaemia?
oral iron ferrous sulphate, IV iron in emergencies.
Side effects of ferrous sulphate?
Nausea, abdo discomfort, diarrhoea/constipation, black stools,
How to treat normocytic anaemia?
Treat underlying cause, improve diet with plenty of vitamins, erythropoietin injections.
How to treat folic acid deficiency?
folic acid tablets daily for 4 months
How to treat pernicious anaemia?
B12 injections, IM hydroxocobalamin
What is G6PD deficiency?
The deficiency of G6PD makes red cells vulnerable to oxidative damage.
Epidemiology of G6PD def?
More common in Africa, middle east and SE asia, more common in males as its x-linked
Signs and symptoms of G6PD?
Pallor, fatigue, palpiatations, SOB, jaundice, exacerbated by ingesting fava beans
Investigations for G6PD?
Bite cells (membrane indentation), irregularly contracted cells, reticulocytosis.
Treatment for G6PD?
Blood transfusion, Stop exacerbating drugs such as: Primaquine Nitrofurantoin Sulphonamides
What is alpha thalassemia?
Gene deletion of one or both alpha chains.
How do people with 3 gene deletion in alpha thalassemia present?
Moderate anaemia, splenomegaly, not transfusion dependant.
How is alpha thalassaemia diagnosed?
Diagnosed with FBC showing microcytic anaemia, elevated serum iron and hamegobin electrophoresis.
How to treat alpha thalassemia?
Treat with transfusions during crises
Desferrioxamine to aid iron excretion
and folic acid
What is beta thalassaemia?
Excess alpha chains, point mutations in the gene
Minor beta thalassemia presentation?
Mild anaemia, pale red blood cells, often asymptomatic
How does intermedia beta thalassemia present?
Infections, gallstones, recurrent leg ulcers, bone deformities
How does Major beta thalassaemia present?
Failure to thrive, severe anaemia from 3-6months, thalassaemic faces, bone abnormalities.
How to diagnose beta thalassemia?
Blood film: reticulocytosis, microcytic anaemia, nucleated RBC’s in circulation.
How to treat beta thalassaemia>
Treat with regular life-long transfusions, iron-chelating agents, ascorbic acid and folic acid.
What is sickle cell anaemia?
Autosomal recessive disorder, production of abnormal beta-globin chains via a single base mutation of A to T
WHat are the benefits of being a carrier of sickle cell?
Protection against falciparum malaria and symptom free.
Symptoms of sickle cell crisis?
Acute pain in hands and feet, long bone pain, cognitive defects in children, pulmonary hypertension and chronic lung disease, splenic sequestration
Diagnosis of sickle cell ?
Blood film (sickled erythrocytes),
Hb 60-80
Positive sickle solubility test
Haem electrophoresis confirms diagnosis
How to treat sickle cell?
Precipitating factors avoided e.g. cold
folic acid
Acute attacks: IV fluids, analgesia, oxygen.
Oral hydroxycarbamide to reduce frequency of crises.
What is acute myeloid leukaemia?
Build up of myeloblasts in the bone marrow spilling out into the blood stream
Who does AML affect?
Adults between 50-60
Risk factors for AML?
Downs’s syndrome, raditation
Symptoms for AML?
Anaemia, infection, hepatosplenomegaly, peripheral lymphadenopathy, gum hypertrophy, bone marrow failure and bone pain
Why do you get anaemia with AML?
Myeloid cells crowd out the normal cells, leading to fewer RBC’s, anaemia and fatigue
WHat would you see on bone marrow biopsy for AML?
AUER RODS
Investigations for AML?
FBC: anaemia, thrombocytopaenia and neutropoenia.
Blood film: leukaemic blast cells
Bone marrow biopsy
Treatment of AML?
Blood and platelet infusions IV fluids Allopurinol chemo steroids infection control
What is ALL?
Malignancy of the lymphoid cells, affecting the B or T lymphocytes.
Uncontrolled proliferation of immature blast cells
What are risk factors for ALL?
Radiation during pregnancy, Down’s syndrome
Signs and symptoms of ALL?
Anaemia, infection, hepatosplenomegaly, peripheral lymphadenopathy, headache and crainial nerve palsy,
Investigations for ALL?
FBC: anaemia, thrombocytopaenia, neutropoenia.
Blood film: leukaemic blast cells
LP
CXR and CT: lymphadenopathy
How to treat ALL?
Steroids, allopurinol, methotrexate, antibiotics, chemo, blood and platelet transfusion
Which chromosome is associated with CML?
Philadelphia chromosome.
Which cells does CML affect?
Neutrophils, basophils, eosinophils and macrophages
What ages does CML most commonly affect?
40-60 rare in childhood
Signs and symptoms of CML?
Loss of weight, fever, sweats, fatigue, gout, bleeding, abdo pain
HEPATOSPLENOMEGALY
What do you see on FBC in CML?
High white cells and anaemia.
Eosinophillia, basophillia, neutrophillia
Increased B12
What do you see on blood film in CML?
Left shirt, basophillia
Treatment for CML?
Chemo and Tyrosine kinase inhibitors
IMANTINIB
What is chronic lymphocytic leukaemia?
Accumulation of mature B cells that have escaped apoptosis.
What ages is CLL seen in?
70+
What can trigger CLL?
pneumonia
Signs and symptom of CLL?
Often asymptomatic:
Enlarged, rubbery non-tender nodes
Weight loss, sweats and anorexia.
What do you see on FBC with CLL?
High WCC, with high lymphocytes
What do you see on blood film with CLL?
Small mature lymphocytes, smudge cells.