Haematology Flashcards
Plasma vs Serum
Plasma contains clotting factors, WBCs and RBCs
Serum is when these have been removed, containing glucose, electrolytes and proteins
What condition contains target cells on blood film finding
Iron deficiency anaemia
Post-splenectomy
In what condition are Heinz bodies seen in
G6PD and alpha-thalassaemia
In what condition are Howell-Jolly Bodies seen in
Post-splenectomy
Severe Anaemia (sickle cell disease)
What are reticulocytes
Immature red blood cells
What causes reticulocyte counts to go up
Rapid turnover of red blood cells (e.g., haemolytic anaemia
What are sideroblasts
Immature red blood cells containing LOTS of iron
In what condition are smudge cells found in
Chronic Lymphocytic leukaemia
Name two conditions in which spherocytes are found
Autoimmune haemolytic anaemia
Hereditary spherocytosis
Where is iron mainly basorbed
Duodenum and jejunum
What causes the reduction of Fe2+ to Fe3+
When acid levels drop
What is the issue of Fe2+ to Fe3+ reduction
It becomes insoluble
So anything that can reduce acid levels (e.g., PPIs) can cause iron deficiency
Why can coeliac and crohn’s cause iron-deificency
Inflammation of the jejunum and duodenum
What is the most common cause of iron deficiency anaemia
Blood loss
What are the most common causes of GI tract bleeding
Oesophagitis and gastritis
What protein is Fe3+ bound to in th eblood
Transferrin
What is TIBC
Total space on the transferrin to bind to iron molecules
How does Total iron binding capacity and transferrin levels relate
They directly correlate to the number of transferrin molecules in t heblood
What is ferritin
Iron that is stored inside cells
What causes ferritin to be eleveated in the blood
Released from cells during inflammatory conditions (e..g, infections or cancer)
What serum ferritin level indicates Iron deficiency
Low
What happens to the level of TIBC and transferrin levels in iron deficiency
Increase
What happens to TIBC and transferrin levels in iron overload
Decrease
What is a normal transferrin saturation level
30%
If there is new iron deficiency without a clear underlying cause, what should be done
Oesophago-gastroduodenoscopy + colonscopy to look for cancer
Management of iron deficiency anaemia
Blood transfusion
Iron infusion (cosmofer)
Oral Iron (furous sulphate) 200mg three times a day
What type of MCV anaemia is iron deficiency anaemia
Microcytic anaemia
What cells produce intrinsic factor
Parietal cells
What is intrinsic factor needed for
B12 absorption in the ileum
Name four symptoms of B12 deficiency
Peripheral neuropathy (paraesthesia)
Loss of virbation and proprioception
Visual changes
Mood or cognitive changes
What is the first line investigation for pernicious anaemia
Intrinsic factor antibodies
Gastric parietal cell antibodies (second line)
Management of pernicious anaemia
Cyanocobalamin (dietray replacement)
If dietary replacement is insufficient for pernicious anaemia, what should be done
IM Hydroxycobalamin 3 times a week for 2 weeks, then every 3 months
If there is folate deficiency alongside pernisious anaemia, what should be treated FIRST, B12 or folate deficiency
B12 FIRST, otherwise folic acid correction can cause subacute degenertaion of the cord
What type of anaemia is haemolytic anaemia
Normocytic anaemia
What test should be done to diagnose autoimmune haemolytic anaemia
Direct coombs test
Describe the genetic inheritance of Hereditary spherocytosis
Autosomal Dominant
What virus causes hereditary spherocytosis
Parvovirus
What crisis is seen in hereditary spherocytosis
Aplastic crisis (parvovirus infection)
How is spherocytosis treated
Folate supplementation and splenectomy
In what population is G6PD deficiency common
Neonates with meditteranean and African background
How is G6PD inherited
X linked recessive
What causes G6PD crises
Infections
Medications
Broad Beans
Symptoms of G6PD deficiency
Gallstones
Anaemia
Splenomegaly
How is G6PD deficiency diagnosed
G6PD enzyme assay
What medications can trigger G6PD deficiency
Primaquine
Ciprofloxacin
Sulfonylureas
Sulfsalazine
What is autoimmune haemoltic anaemia
Antibodies created against the patient’s red blood cells
What causes warm autoimmune haemoltic anaemia
Idiopathic
At what temperatures does cold haemolytic anaemia occur at
less tahn 10 degrees
What happens in autoimmune haemolytic anaemia
Agglutination
What conditions can cause cold autoimmune haemolytic anaemia
Lymphoma
Leukaemia
SLE
EBV, CMV and HIV
Management of autoimmune haemolytic anaemia
Blood transfusion
Prednisolone
Rituximab
Splenectomy
What is characteristic of paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglubinuria
Red urine in the morning (contains haemoglobin and haemosiderin)
Anaemia
Management of Paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria
Eculizumab and bone marrow transplant
Name three conditions which has microangiopathic haemolytic anaemia
HUS
SIC
TTP
SLE
What are normal haemoglobin consisted of
2 alpha
2 beta gloobin chains
How are thalassaemia inherited
Autosomal recessive
What type of anaemia is seen in thalassaemia
Low mean corpucular volume
What phsyical features change in thalassaemia
Pronounced forehead and cheekbones
GOLD standard diagnosis of thalassaemia
Haemoglobin electrophoresis
How are serum levels affected in thalassaemia
Serum feritin levels increase due to iron overload
How is iron overload in thalassaemia corrected
Iron chelation
What gene is affected in alpha thalassamia
16
How is alpha thalassaemia managed
Monitoring FBC
Monitoring complications
Blood transfusions
Splenectomy
How can alpha thalassaemia be cured
Bone marrow transplant
What gene is affected in beta thalassaemia
11
What is thalassaemia minor trait
Beta thalassaemia where there is one abnormal and one normal gene
Beta thalassaemia trait vs major
Slightly anaemic (low MCV and MCH) and ASYMPTOMATIC
vs
SEVERE haemolytic anaemia: hepatosplenomegaly, VERY low MCV and MCH
Management of thalassaemia minor
Monitoring
Management of thalassaemia major
Transfusions, iron chelation and splenectomy
At what age is feotal haemoglobin replaced by Haemoglobin A
6 weeks of age
What gene causes SCA
11
What type of inheritance is SCA
Autosomal recessive
What condition does SCA protect people against
Malaria
How is SCA diganosed
Electrophoresis
Neowborn screening heel prick test at 5 days
Name som ecomplictaions of SCA
Stroke
Avascular necrosis of the hip
Pulmonary Hypertension
Priapism
CKD
Sickle cell crisis
Acute Chest Syndrome
Management of SCA
Rehydration
Vaccine check
Penicillin V
Hydroxycarbamide to increase foetal Heamoglobin
Blood transfusion for severe anaemia
Bone marrow transplant
What pain relief should be avoided in SCA with CKD
NSAIDs
What triggers SCA crises
Infections
Hypoxia
Acidosis
How is pripism treated in SCA
Emergency: Aspiration of blood from penis
What is indicative of splenic sequestration
SEVERE anaemia
Hypovolaemic shock
How is splenic sequestration crisis managed
Blood transfusion and fluid resus
What can prevent a splenic sequestration crisis
Splenectomy
What infection commonly triggers an aplastic crisis
Parvovirus B19
How do we diagnose Acute Chest Syndrome
Fever or respiratory symptoms
New infiltrates seen on a chest X-Ray
What HbA2 level is diagnostic for thalassaemia
> 3,5%
Name trhee lymphocytes
Bcells
T-Cells
NK cells
Lymph node appearance in infetcions vs lymphoma
Lymphoma is hard and fixed (cannot move)
+ B symptoms
Is a fine needle aspiration of lymph node diagnostic for lymphoma?
No
What is needed to diagnose a lymphoma
Excisional biopsy
Hodgkin vs non-hodgkin lymphoma
The presence of reed-sternberg cells = hodgkin’s
How can we stage a lymphoma
PET/CT scan
Describe the ann arbour staging system for lymphoma
Stage 1 - One lymph node on one side of the diaphgram
Stage 2 - Multiple lymph nodes on one side of the diaphgram
Stage 3 - Multiple lymph node involvement on both sides of the diaphrragm
Stage 4 - Distant metastases
What does A stage mean in lymphoma
Absence of additional symptoms
What does B substage mean in lymphoma
Presence of B-Symptoms
What does X subclass mean in lymphoma
Bulky disease (lymph node >10 cm diameter)
What does E subclass mean in lymphoma
Involvement of a single organ (e..g, lung inovlvement in mediastinal lymphadenopathy)
What does S mean in subclass of lymphoma
Spleen involvement
What cells do hodgkin lymphoma airse from
B-cells
Age onset of hodgkin lymphoma
15-30
50+
What antigens are positive in hodgkin’s classical lymphoma
CD15 and 30
What cells are seen in non-classical hodgkin’s lymphoma
Popcorn cells
What antigens are seen in popcorn cells
CD20 + 45
Where are hodgkin lymphoma commonly found
Cervical
Axillary
Mediastinal
Symptoms of Mediastinal lymphadenopathy
itchy rash
Pel Ebstein Fevers
COUGH + SOB
Hoarseness
Superior vena cava syndrome
Pleural effusion
Minimal Change Disease
Blood test results in Lymphoma
Increased ESR and LDH