Haematology Flashcards
What is the lifespan of a RBC ?
4 months (120 days)
What is the lifespan of a platelet ?
10 days
What is a cause of target cells on a blood film ?
- Iron deficiency anaemia
- Sickle cell/thalassaemia
- Post-splenectomy
What are heinz bodies on a blood film and what is it
- G6PD deficiency
- Alpha-thalassaemia
What causes Howell-Jolly bodies to be seen on a blood film ?
- Post splenectomy
- Non functioning spleen (sickle cell anaemia)
- Coeliac disease (hyposplenism)
When would reticulocytes be seen on a blood film ?
Haemolytic anaemia
When are smudge cells seen on a blood film ?
- CLL : they are ruptured white blood cells
When are spherocytes seen on a blood film ?
- Autoimmune haemolytic anaemia or hereditary spherocytosis
When are ‘Tear-drop’ poikilocytes seen on a blood film ?
Myelofibrosis
What is associated with Schistocytes on a blood film ?
- Intravascular haemolysis
- Mechanical heart valve
- DIC
What is associated with ‘pencil’ poikilocytes on blood film ?
IDA
What is associated with Burr cells on blood film
Uraemia
Pyruvate kinase deficiency
What is associated with hypersegmented neutrophils on blood films ?
Megaloblastic anaemia
Give the 5 causes of microcytic anaemia (low MCV)
- T : thalassaemia
- A : anaemia of chronic disease
- I : IDA
- L : lead poisoning
- S : sideroblastic
Give the 5 causes of normocytic anaemia
- A : anaemia of chronic disease
- A : acute blood loss
- A : aplastic anaemia
- H : haemolytic anaemia
- H : hypothyroid
What is anaemia of chronic disease
Anaemia caused by CKD -> reduced production of erythropoietin
Give the 2 causes of megaloblastic macrocytic anaemia
B12 deficiency
Folate deficiency
Give 5 causes of normoblastic macrocytic anaemia
- Alcohol
- Reticulocytosis
- Hypothyroid
- Liver diease
- Drugs (e.g. azathioprine)
What can cause reticulocytosis ?
- Haemolytic anaemia of blood loss
- It is due to rapid RBC cell turnover
Give 5 generic Sx of anaemia
Tiredness
Shortness of breath
Headaches
Dizziness
Palpitations
Give 4 generic signs of anaemia
Pale skin
Conjunctival pallor
Tachycardia
Raised respiratory rate
What is the most common cause of IDA in adults
Blood loss
What is the most common cause of IDA in children ?
Dietary insufficiency -> Pica (eating soil) is a common presentation in children
Give 2 symptoms specific to IDA
Pica
Hair loss
Give 4 signs specific to IDA
Koilonychia
Angular cheilitis
Atrophic glossitis
Brittle hair and nails
Explain the blood profile of someone with IDA
- FBC : hypochromic microcytic anaemia
- Ferritin : low (correlates with iron stores)
- TIBC : increased
- Transferrin : increased
What is the transferrin saturation ?
- Amount of iron bound to transferrin
- Low iron = low saturation
Transferrin saturation = serum iron/TIBC
What should be done in new IDA without a clear underlying cause ?
- Colonoscopy and OGD
- Any pt >60 with new IDA = 2 week wait for colorectal cancer
Give the stepwise management of IDA
- Oral iron (ferrous sulfate for 3 mnths)
- Iron Infusion
- Blood transfusion
Give 4 SE of ferrous sulfate
Nausea
Abdo pain
Constipation
Diarrhoea
When should iron infusions be avoided ?
During infection -> ‘feeds’ the bacteria’
What is the genetic inheritance of thalassaemia
Autosomal recessive
Give 4 signs of anaemia more specific to thalassaemia
Jaundice
Gallstones
Splenomegaly
Poor growth and development
Why does thalassaemia lead to splenomegaly ?
- The RBCs are more fragile -> broken down more easily -> destroyed RBCs are collected by the spleen -> splenomegaly
What chromosome is involved in alpha thalassaemia
Chromosome 16 -> 2 separate alpha-globulin genes are located on each chromosome
Explain the 3 clinical severities on thalassaemia
- Hypochromic and microcytic blood picture but normal Hb : 1 or 2 affected alleles
- Hb H disease : 3 alleles affected = hypochromic microcytic anaemia
- Hydrops fetalis : 4 alleles -> death in utero
What chromosome is involved in Beta-Thalassaemia ?
- 11
- Involves abnormal copies or deleted genes
What is Beta-thalassaemia trait ?
- One abnormal and one normal gene
- Mild-hypochromic microcytic anaemia
- Usually asymptomatic
What is thalassaemia intermedia ?
- Two abnormal copes (either 2 defective or one defective and 1 deleted)
What is Beta-thalassaemia major ?
- Absence of beta globulin chains
How does beta-thalassaemia major present
- First year of life with failure to thrive and and hepatosplenomegaly
- Microcytic anaemia
- HbA2 & HbF raised
- HbA absent
How is Beta-thalassaemia major managed ?
repeated transfusion
this leads to iron overload → organ failure
iron chelation therapy is therefore important (e.g. desferrioxamine)
What is the blood profile of someone with anaemia of chronic disease
- Low serum iron
- Low TIBC
- Low transferrin saturation
- High ferritin
If not congenital, give 4 acquired causes of sideroblastic anaemia
Myelodysplasia
Alcohol
Lead
Anti-TB medications
What is seen on Ix in sideroblastic anaemia
- FBC : hypochromic microcytic anaemia
- Iron studies : high ferritin, iron and transferrin saturation
- Blood film : basophilic stipling of RBCs
What staining is used in the bone marrow for diagnosing sideroblastic anaemia ?
Perussian blue and it will show ringed sideroblasts
What are 3 signs of haemolytic anaemia
- Anaemia (fatigue, palpitations, SOB)
- Splenomegaly
- Jaundice : bilirubin is released when RBCs are destroyed
These are the signs of RBC destruction
What is seen on FBC and blood film in haemolytic anaemia ?
- FBC : normocytic anaemia
- Blood film : shistocytes (RBC fragments)
Give 5 hereditary causes of haemolytic anaemia
- Hereditary elliptocytosis
- Hereditary spherocytosis
- Thalassaemia
- Sickle cell anaemia
- G6PD deficiency
Give 5 acquired conditions that can cause haemolytic anaemia
- Autoimmune
- Alloimmune
- Paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria
- Microangiopathic haemolytic anaemia
- Prosthetic valve-related haemolysis
What is the inheritance of hereditary spherocytosis and Elliptocytosis ?
Autosomal dominant
Give 3 key blood findings in hereditary spherocytosis
- Raised MCHC
- Raised reticulocyte count
- Spherocytes on blood film
What will the parvovirus cause in someone with hereditary spherocytosis ?
- Aplastic crisis
How is hereditary spherocysis managed ?
- Folate and blood transfusions when needed
- Splenectomy
Explain the genetic inheritance of G6PD deficiency
- X linked recessive
- Defect in the gene coding for glucose-6 phosphate dehydrogenase
What is a characteristic feature of G6PD deficiency ?
- Episodes of haemolytic anaemic triggered by :
- Infection
- Fava beans
- Drugs : ciprofloxacin, sulfonylureas, sulfasalazine
What is seen on a blood film in G6PD deficiency and how is it diagnosed
- Heinz bodies
- G6PD enzyme assay
What is warm AIHA
- Antibodies are created against RBCs
- Usually IgG
- Haemolysis occurs at normal or above-normal temperatures
- Most common
- Usually idiopathic
What is cold, reactive AIHA
- Antibodies are created against RBCs
- Usually IgM
- Haemolysis occurs at low temps
What is cold AIHA secondary too ?
- Lymphoma
- Leukaemia
- SLE
- Infections (e.g., mycoplasma, EBV, CMV and HIV).
What is usued first line to treat warm AIHA?
Steroids (+/- rituximab)
Other than showing normocytic anaemia with shistocytes, what is a specific finding in AIHA ?
Positive Direct Coombs test
A patient presents with haemolytic anaemia, haemoglobinuria (RED URINE), thrombosis (DVT) and smooth muscle dystonia (erectile dysfunction).
What is the likely cause ?
- Paroxysmal noctunal haemoglobinuria
How is paroxysmal noctunal haemoglobinuria managed ?
- Eculizumab
- Bone marrow transplant
What is microangiopathic haemolytic anaemia dna give 5 causes
- Destruction of RBCs as they pass through circulation due to abnorm al clotting obstruction the blood vesels
- HUS
- DIC
- TTP
- SLE
- Cancer
Explain the genetic inheritance of sickle cell anaemia
- Autosomal recessive
- Affects the beta-globin chain on chromosome 11
- Results in the prodction of HbS = sickle shaped RBCs
How is sickle cell anaemia diagnosed
Haemoglobin electrophoresis
What is the general management of sickle cell anaemia ?
- Antibiotic prophylaxis with Penicillin V (phenoxymethylpenicillin)
- Long term Hydroxycarbamide
- Crizanlizumab
- Blood transfusions for severe anaemia
- Bone marrow transplant can be curative
- Pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine every 5 yrs.
What can be given to increase the amount of HbF production in sickle cell anaemia
Hydroxyurea
Why is Crizanlizumab given in sickle cell anaemia ?
- Monoclonal antibody targetting P-selectin, an adhesion molecule on endothelial cells inside of blood vessel and platelets.
- Reduces frequency of vaso-occlusive crises by preventing RBCs sticking to the wall.
What is a vaso-occlusive crisis ?
- The RBCs clog the capillaries causing distal ischaemia
- Precipitated by infection, dehydration, deoxygenation
- Presents with pain in hands or feet and associated fever
- Urological emergency = priapism
What is a splenic sequestration crisis ?
- RBCs block blood flow to spleen
- Causing painful splenomegaly
- Causes increased reticulocyte count
What triggers an aplastic crisis in sickle cell anaemia
- Parvovirus B19
- Causes a sudden fall in haemoglobin and bone marrow supression leading to reduced reticulocyte count
What is acute chest syndrome and how does it present?
- Vessels supplying lungs become blocked by RBCs
- Fever, SOB , Chest pain, cough and hypoxia
What will be seen on a chest X-ray in acute chest syndrome ?
Bilateral pulmonary infiltrates
Define leukaemia
Cancer of a particular line of stem cells in the bone marrow
what are the 4 types of leukaemia ?
- Acute myeloid leukaemia
- Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia
- Chronic myeloid leukaemia
- Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia
Give a characteristic feature for each of the 4 types of leukaemia
- ALL : children and is associated with Down syndrome
- CLL is associated with warm haemolytic anaemia, Richter’s transformation and smudge cells
- CML has three phases, including a long chronic phase, and is associated with the Philadelphia chromosome
- AML may result in a transformation from a myeloproliferative disorder and is associated with Auer rods
How can the features of ALL be divided ?
-Anaemia : lethargy and pallor
- Neutropaenia: frequent or severe infections
- Thrombocytopenia: easy bruising, petechiae
Give 5 poor prognostic factors for ALL
- Age < 2 years or > 10 years
- WBC > 20 * 109/l at diagnosis
- T or B cell surface markers
- Non-Caucasian
- Male sex
What is the most common form of leukaemia in adults
- CLL
- Usually seen in adults >60
- Proliferation of well-differentiated lymphocytes
What is seen on a blood film in CLL?
Smudge cells (smear cells)
Give 4 complications of CLL
- Anaemia
- Hypogammaglobulinaemia leading to recurrent infections
- Warm autoimmune haemolytic anaemia in 10-15% of patients
- Transformation to high-grade lymphoma (Richter’s transformation)