Haem - Anaemia, IDA, B12+pernicious anaemia, Thalassaemia Flashcards
Anaemia - what is the definition of anaemia?
Defined as low level of Haemoglobin in the blood
Anaemia - what is mean cell volume?
This is the size of the RBCs
Anaemia - what are the three categories MCV can be divided into?
Microcytic anaemia - low MCV, small RBCs
Normocytic anaemia - normal MCV, normal sized RBCs
Macrocytic anaemia - high MCV, large RBCs
Anaemia - what are microcytic anaemia causes?
TAILS
Thalassaemia
Anaemia of chronic disease
Iron Deficiency Anaemia
Lead poisoning
Sideroblastic anaemia
Anaemia - what are normocytic anaemia causes?
AAAHH or AHAHA
Acute blood loss
Anaemia of chronic disease
Aplastic anaemia
Hypothyroidism
Haemolytic anaemia
Anaemia - what two categories can macrocytic anaemia causes be divided into and what are the causes?
Megaloblastic anaemia - impaired DNA synthesis, prevents cell from dividing normally, so cell grows into larger abnormal cell, caused by VITAMIN DEFICIENCY:
- B12 deficiency
- Folate deficiency
Normoblastic macrocytic anaemia:
- Alcohol
- Reticulocytosis
- Hypothyroidism
- Liver disease
- Drugs - azathioprine
Anaemia - what are the symptoms?
Fatigue
SoB
Palpitations
Headaches
Dizziness
Worsening of other conditions
Anaemia - what are some signs?
Pale skin
Conjunctival pallor
Tachycardia
Increased resp rate
Iron Deficiency Anaemia (IDA) - what are some reasons as to why a patient may become iron deficient?
- Insufficient dietary iron
- Iron requirements increase (pregnancy)
- Iron being lost (bleeding, menorrhagia)
- Malabsorption
IDA - where is iorn mainly absorbed?
Duodenum and Jejunum
IDA - what medications reduce stomach acid, and why is this a problem in IDA?
PPIs
Duo and Jej need soluble form of iron to absorb, which requires stomach acid to stay in that soluble form, but PPIs reduce stomach acid, so it changes to Fe3+ insoluble form, so interferes with Fe absorption
IDA - what is transferrin?
Carrier protein that binds iron
IDA - what is total iron binding capacity (TIBC)?
Total space on the transferrin molecule for the iron to bind
IDA - what is transferrin saturation, and what is the equation?
Proportion of transferrin molecules that are bound to iron
Transferrin Saturation = Serum iron / TIBC
IDA - what is ferritin?
Ferritin is the form iron takes when it is deposited and stored in cells
If serum ferritin low, highly suggestive of IDA