HAEM: Paediatric haematology Flashcards
List 3 causes of polycythaemia in the foetus.
- Twin-to-twin transfusion
- Intrauterine hypoxia
- Placental insufficiency
X How do FBC findings differ between foetus and adult?
Newborn babies, in contrast to adults, have:
- A higher Hb
- A lower WBC
- Smaller red blood cells
- The same percentage of haemoglobin F
List 3 causes of foetal anaemia.
- Twin-to-twin or Foetal-to-maternal (rare) transfusion
- Parvovirus infection (virus not cleared by immature immune system)
- Haemorrhage from cord or placenta
What happens to the baby if it is G6PD deficient and the mother eats fava beans?
Haemolysis in the baby if breastfeeding
Which anticoagulant can cause foetal haemorrhage or deformity in the first trimester?
Vitamin K
Where does the first leukaemia occur in a child?
The first mutation that subsequently leads to childhood leukaemia often occurs in utero (pre-leukaemic cells carrying this mutation can even spread from one twin to the other)
Which condition is congenital leukaemia more common in? What is it aka here?
Congenital leukaemia is particularly common in Down syndrome
AKA: transient abnormal myelopoiesis / TAM
What type of leukaemia is TAM? What is the prognosis?
TAM is a myeloid leukaemia. It is different from leukaemia in older children.
- Tends to remit spontaneously within the first 2 months of life
- But tends to relapse 1-2 years later in about 25% of infants
- The capacity for spontaneous remission is similar to neuroblastoma
What type of cell is shown here?
Megakaryocyte in circulation
What is the definition of haemoglobinopathy?
Structurally abnormal hb (N.B. some think thalassemia a form of haemoglobinopathy)
Briefly, what is the cause of thalassaemia?
Resulting from reduced rate of synthesis of ≥1 globin chain as a result of a genetic defect
Where are genes for alpha and beta globin found?
The globin chains are controlled by globin genes on chromosome 11 and chromosome 16
- Chromosome 11 (beta cluster) = deletion of LCRB –> reduced downstream globin expression:
- Beta, delta, gamma gene - B, D, G
- The locus control region is required for the synthesis of all chains
- Epsilon is an embryonic globin gene
- Chromosome 16 (alpha cluster):
- Alpha 1 and alpha 2 gene (HbA2 = <3.5% of total adult Hb)
- Zeta gene (expressed in the embryo)
How does type of Hb change from in utero to infancy?
- Specific foetal haemoglobins are present in the first 16 weeks à HbF predominates
- After around 32 weeks you get a rapid increase in HbA production
- At birth, about 1/3rd of haemoglobin is HbA, but this rapidly increases after birth
What is seen by blue and red?
Red - sickle cell
Blue - cells which look like they are about to sickle
Howell Jolly bodies also seen and anaemia as the cells are very far apart.
What globin chains are responsible for coding Hb A, A2 and F? When is each present?
What are the types of homozygous and heterozygous SCD?
Homozygous states = HbSS
Heterozygous states = HbSC (sickle cell trait), HbS/b-thal
What are Howell-Jolly bodies a feature of?
Hyposplenism
What is the pathophysiology of sickling and its complications in SCD?
(1) Hypoxia –> polymerisation of haemoglobin S –> crescent shaped RBCs and blocked blood vessels
- Occurs in post-capillary venules (when passing through these venules, red cells tend to elongate)
- This is reversible if the hypoxic state is resolved (unless the cells are very sickled)
(2) If circulation slows, the cells sickle and become adherent to the endothelium which causes obstruction
(3) Retrograde capillary obstruction –>arterial obstruction
What does severity of sickle cell anaemia in HbS/b-thal depend on?
HbS/b-thal severity depends on whether it is a:
- Beta-0 gene (no beta globin production)
- Beta+ gene (a little bit of beta globin production)