Haematology Flashcards
What causes increased reticulocytes on an FBC?
Bleeding, haemolysis
What causes neutrophils to be raised?
Acute inflammatory process e.g. infection, acute illness, steroid therapy, myeloid cancer
What type of infection raises eosinophils?
A parasitic infection
What are platelets derived from?
Megakaryocytes
What leukaemia typically affects children?
Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia
What investigations would you do for ?leukaemia?
FBC, blood film, U&Es, LFTs, clotting and a bone marrow biopsy
What are the basics of the treatment of acute leukaemia?
Induction - aims to remove 99% of leukaemic cells
Consolidation- lower intensity therapy
Maintenance
CNS prophylaxis - intrathecal
What chromosomal abnormality do CML patients tend to have?
The philadelphia chromosome
How is CML treated?
Imatinib
What is the most common leukaemia?
Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia
What makes a Hodgkin’s lymphoma different from non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma?
Reed-Steinberg cells
What is the common age range for Hodgkin’s lymphoma?
20-40
What system is used to class Hodgkin’s lymphoma?
Ann Arbor system
What is multiple myeloma?
A malignant proliferation of plasma cells
What are the emergencies in haematology?
Spinal cord compression SVC obstruction Neutropenic sepsis Tumour lysis syndrome Hypercalcaemia
What are the general signs and symptoms of anaemia?
Lethargy, SOB, reduced exercise tolerance, headache, pallor of the palmar creases and conjunctiva
Severe: angina, tachycardia
What are the different causes of anaemia?
Decreased RBC production
Increased RBC destruction
Increased RBC loss
What anaemias are microcytic?
Iron deficiency
Thalassaemia
Haemaglobinopathies
(Sideroblastic anaemia)
What anaemias are normocytic?
Acute blood loss Haemolysis Renal failure Chronic disease Cancer
What anaemias are macrocytic?
B12 deficiency Folate deficiency Alcohol excess Liver/thyroid disease Anti-folate medication (anti-epileptics, trimethoprim and methotrexate)
What are the specific signs of iron deficiency anaemia?
Kolionychia
Glossitis
Angular stomitis (sores in the corners of the mouth)
What investigations would you do for anaemia?
FBCs, blood film
Investigate for underlying cause e.g. malignancy
What is the management for iron-deficiency anaemia?
Treat underlying condition
Iron replacement
Transfuse if very flow
Prescribe laxatives as iron salts constipate patients
What types of crises occur is sickle cell anaemia?
Haemolytic, occlusive, aplastic and sequestration
How do you investigate sickle cell anaemia?
FBC, blood film, Hb electrophoresis, G&S
What is the management for sickle cell anaemia?
Supportive e.g. aggressive analgesia, treat underlying cause, folic acid, transfuse with falling Hb
Chronic e.g. hydroxycarbamide
What are the causes of B12 deficiency?
Pernicious anaemia, malabsorption (e.g. in Crohn’s), dietary
What is pernicious anaemia?
An autoimmune condition where antibodies are produced against parietal cells, associated with other autoimmune conditions e.g. Addison’s.
Parietal cells produce intrinsic factor which is necessary for B12 absorption.
What are the causes of folate deficiency?
Dietary, malabsorption, increased requirements (e.g. pregnancy), folate antagonists
Where is folate absorbed?
Duodenum/upper small anaemia
What are the congenital causes of haemolytic anaemia?
Hereditary spherocytosis/elliptocytosis, thalassaemia, sickle cell anaemia, G6P deficiency
What are the symptoms of haemolytic anaemia?
Lethargy, SOB, reduced exercise tolerance, headache, pallor of the palmar creases and conjunctiva, jaundice, splenomegaly
What is prothrombin time a marker for?
The extrinsic pathway
What is the activated Prothrombin time a marker for?
The intrinsic pathway
What is the mechanism of action of warfarin?
It is antagonises vitamin K dependant clotting factors e.g. 2, 7, 9, 10
How does heparin work?
It inactivates factor Xa
What are the causes of DIC?
Sepsis, haematological cancers, eclampsia, anaphylaxis, severe trauma/burns, severe liver disease
What is DIC?
A pathological activation of the coagulation cascade. There is formation of microvascular thrombi and multi-organ failure.
What causes thrombophilia?
Primary: Factor V Leiden, Protein C deficiency, protein S deficiency, anti-thombin III deficiency
Secondary: Virchow’s triad
What are the risk factors for DVT?
Increased age, pregnancy, malignancy, trauma, past DVT, smoking, immobility, infection, thrombophilia, HRT
What are the symptoms of a DVT?
Pain/ache, unilateral swelling, calf warmth, pitting oedema below the DVT, erythema, Homan’s sign (pain on foot dorsiflexion)
What is the Well’s score?
The diagnostic score for a DVT
What investigations would you do for a DVT?
D-dimer, USS doppler, CTPA with a PE
What is the management of a DVT?
Anticoagulate with treatment dose dalteparin or LMWH
Warfarin/NOAC
Exclude underlying cause - IVC filters may be used
What is the cause of iron deficiency anaemia?
Excessive blood loss e.g. from the GI tract or menorrhagia, dietary inadequacy e.g. in children, failure of iron absorption e.g. coeliac disease or excessive requirements for iron e.g. pregnancy
What is the pathophysiology behind iron deficiency anaemia?
Iron is required for haemoglobin synthesis therefore inadequate iron means haemoglobin can’t be synthesised properly and the patient becomes anaemic
What are the symptoms of iron deficiency anaemia?
Fatigue, shortness of breath on exertion, palpitations, brittle hair, headache, tinnitus, angina (if there’s pre-existing coronary heart disease)
What are the signs of iron deficiency anaemia?
Spoon shaped nails (koilonychia)
Angular stomatitis, brittle nails, pallor
What tests are used to diagnose iron deficiency anaemia?
FBC - decreased Hb, decreased MCV, decreased MCH (mean corpuscular Hb)
Serum iron (low)
Total iron binding capacity (high)
Serum ferritin (low)
Serum soluble transferrin receptors (high)
OGD in all males and post menopausal females to look for GI causes of bleeding
What is the treatment for iron deficiency anaemia?
Find and treat the underlying cause
Give iron supplements to treat the anaemia and replace stores - oral iron is usually sufficient
What type of anaemia is iron deficiency anaemia?
Microcytic
What is the aetiology of vitamin B12-deficiency anaemia?
Impaired absorption of vitamin B12 e.g. gastrectomy, ileal resection
Inadequate intake e.g. vegan diet
Drugs e.g. colchicine
What is the pathophysiology of pernicious anaemia?
Absorption of vitamin B12 occurs in the terminal ileum and needs intrinsic factor (produced in the stomach). Pernicious anaemia is an autoimmune process causing gastritis which leads to atrophy of all layers of the body and fundus of the stomach leading to a lack of intrinsic factor
What is the peak age at diagnosis for pernicious anaemia?
60
What are the symptoms of pernicious anaemia?
Fatigue, lethargy, dyspnoea, faintness, palpitations, headache, paraesthesia, numbness, visual disturbances
What are the signs of pernicious anaemia?
Pallor, lemon tinge to the skin, glossitis, oral ulceration, angular stomatitis, reflex loss, mild to moderate ataxia
What tests are used to diagnose pernicious anaemia?
FBC - increased MCV Blood film - hypersegmented neutrophils Serum vitamin B12 - low Plasma total homocysteine - high Serum folate
What is the treatment for pernicious anaemia?
Find the underlying cause of low vitamin B12
IM hydroxocobalamin 1mg for 3 times a week for 2 weeks then 1 mg every 3 months
Refer to gastro if the patient has malabsorption or GI symptoms
What type of anaemia is pernicious anaemia?
Macrocytic
What is the aetiology of folate deficiency?
Dietary deficiency e.g. malabsorption, alcohol excess
Excessive requirements e.g. pregnancy, malignancy, inflammation
Excessive excretion
Drugs e.g. methotrexate
What is the pathophysiology of folate deficiency?
Folate is involved in adenosine, guanine and thymidine synthesis so it’s required for DNA synthesis. Reduced DNA synthesis results in anaemia
What are the symptoms of folate deficiency?
Fatigue, lethargy, dyspnoea, faintness, palpitations, headache, leg cramps
What are the signs of folate deficiency?
Pallor, glossitis, angular stomatitis, tachycardia, systolic flow murmur, pale mucus membranes and palmar creases
What tests are used to diagnose folate deficiency?
FBC - increased MCV, low Hb
Serum folate - low
RBC folate level - low (more specific than serum folate level)
What is the treatment for folate deficiency?
Folic acid 5mg OD
Don’t give alone in megaloblastic anaemia of unknown cause as it makes neuropathy of B12 deficiency worse
Treat the underlying cause
What type of anaemia does folate deficiency cause?
Macrocytic
What causes anaemia of chronic disease?
Chronic infection e.g. TB
Chronic inflammation e.g. Crohn’s disease, RA, SLE, malignancy
CKD
What is the pathophysiology of anaemia of chronic disease?
Different causes contribute to anaemia in chronic diseases including diversion of iron, reduced erythropoiesis and reduced response to erythropoeitin
What are the symptoms of anaemia of chronic disease?
Fatigue, lethargy, dyspnoea, faintness, palpitations, headache, angina, intermittent claudication
What are the signs of anaemia of chronic disease?
Pallor, tachycardia, systolic flow murmur, cardiac failure, pale mucus membranes and palmar creases
What tests are used to diagnose anaemia of chronic disease?
FBC - low MCV, low Hb
Serum iron - low
Total iron binding capacity - low
Serum ferritin - high (increases due to the inflammatory process)
What is the treatment for anaemia of chronic disease?
Treatment and management of the underlying cause
Iron should only be given to patients with established iron deficiency
Consider erythropoiesis-stimulating agents in RA, HF and cancer
What type of anaemia is anaemia of chronic disease?
Microcytic
What is the aetiology of beta-thalassaemia?
It is an autosomal recessive condition with defects in transcription, RNA splicing & modification and translation leading to unstable and unusable beta-globin chains.
What is the pathophysiology of beta-thalassaemia?
There is little or no normal beta-globin and therefore there is excess alpha-globin. Alpha-globin combines with whatever beta, delta or gamma chains are available are there is an increased production of HbA2 and HbF leading to ineffective erythropoiesis and haemolysis.
Where is beta-thalassaemia prevalent?
The mediterranean, middle east and Africa
What are the symptoms of beta-thalassaemia?
Asymptomatic - minor/trait
Bone abnormalities and recurrent leg ulcers - intermedia
Chronic infections, failure to thrive - major (homozygous)
What are the signs of beta-thalassaemia?
Mild/absent anaemia - minor/trait
Moderate anaemia, splenomegaly and gallstones - intermedia
Severe anaemia, skull bossing, thalassaemia facies, hepatosplenomegaly (presents in the first year of life) - major (homozygous)