Haematology

Question 1

What is the average adult blood volume?

Answer 1

4.5-6 litres

Question 2

What percentage of bld volume is plasma?

Answer 2

55%

Question 3

Plasma contains what percentage of water?

Answer 3

90%

Question 4

Besides water, what are the other constitutes of blood plasma?

Answer 4

• Proteins - albumin, Ig, clotting factors
• Nutrients
• Salts

Question 5

If 55% of the blood volume is composed of plasma, what is the other 45% composed of?

Answer 5

• Red cells
• White cells
• Platelets

Question 6

What are the two types of white cells?

Answer 6

• Granulocytes
• Agranulocytes

Question 7

What are the three main granulocytes?

Answer 7

1. Neutrophils
2. Eosinophils
3. Basophils

Question 8

What are the two types of agranulocytes?

Answer 8

1. Lymphocytes
2. Monocytes

Question 9

Red cells, when in development, have a nucleus which requires which two things in order for it to mature before it is removed?

Answer 9

1. Vitamin B12
2. Folate

Question 10

What can affect the size of red cell produced (mean cellular volume - MCV)?

Answer 10

Lack of iron or vitamin B12

Question 11

What does a lot Hb count suggest?

Answer 11

Anaemia

Question 12

What does microcytic (smaller than normal size) red cells suggest?

Answer 12

Iron deficiency

Question 13

What does macrocytic (larger than normal size) red cells suggest?

Answer 13

Vitmain B12/folate deficiency

This can cause nuclear defects

Question 14

What does it suggest when red cells are normocytic (of normal size)?

Answer 14

• Acute blood loss may have occured
• Anaemia of a chronic disease such as inflammation or infection

Question 15

Macrocytic red cells can occur both with and without anaemia. What are the causes for macrocytic red cells without anaemia?

Answer 15

• Alcohol excess
• Liver disease
• Hypothyroidism

Question 16

High haemoglobin levels may be false readings, why?

Answer 16

• The patient may be dehydrated (plasma volume will be lower menaing more red cells are present per litre)
• Hypoxia can cause an increase in the humber of red cells
• A bone marrow disorder can cause an increase in red cells

Question 17

Steroids can cause “de-margination” what is this?

Answer 17

The proces sof recruiting many neutrophils very quickly from uncirculating stores

Question 18

Eosinophils are present in the blood during which two conditions?

Answer 18

1. Parasitic infections
2. Hypersensitivity type reactions

Question 19

Basophils are associated with which type of condition?

Answer 19

Hypersensitivity

Question 20

When do monocyte levels increase in the blood?

Answer 20

During chronic infection, malignancy or autoimmune disorders

Question 21

What is haemostasis?

Answer 21

The process of stopping bleeding - it involved coagulation

Question 22

How long can platelets live for?

Answer 22

7-10 days

Question 23

What test is taken for determining whether primary haemostasis is occuring?

Answer 23

Whole blood count

(for platelet count)

Question 24

Which two tests can determine the effectiveness of the coagulation pathway?

Answer 24

1. Prothrombin time
2. Activated partial thromboplastin time

Question 25

What are D-dimers?

Answer 25

Degredation products of fibrin from fibrinogen

Question 26

How can plasma viscocity change?

Answer 26

Due to changes in fibrinogen and globulin levels

Question 27

Plasma viscocity changes are associated with what?

Answer 27

• Systemic inflammation
• Sometimes haematological malignancies producing abnormal protein