Haematology Flashcards
What infection is assocaited with hodgkin lymphoma?
Epstein barr virus
(also more common in people with HIV)
What is the treatment for neutropenic sepsis?
Administer high flow oxygen
Take blood cultures, other cultures, consider source control
Give appropriate IV antibiotics within ONE hour
Measure serum lactate concentration
Start IV fluid resuscitation
Assess/measure urine output
Resuscitation – ABC
Broad spectrum I.V. antibiotics
- Tazocin and Gentamicin
If a gram positive organism is identified add vancomycin or teicoplanin
If no response at 72 hours add I.V. antifungal treatment e.g. Caspofungin - empiric therapy
CT chest/abdo/pelvis to look for source
Modify treatment based on culture results
What is the most common blood group?
Type O
What mutation is assocaited with primary Myelofibrosis?
JAK2 (50%)
MPL (5-10%)
What is the treatment for 22q11 deletion syndrome?
Thymus transplantation
What is the role of platelets in haemostasis?
Adhere
Activate
Aggregate
Provide a phospholipid surface for coagulation
What is the cause of polycythaemia rubra vera?
Clonal proliferation of a marrow stem cell leading to an increased red cell volume, often accompanied by an increase in neutrophils and platelets as well
What are different types of venous thromboembolisms?
Limb deep vein thrombosis
Pulmonary embolism
Visceral venous thrombosis
Intracranial venous thrombosis
Superficial thrombophlebitis
What type of monoclonal proteins are usually found in the serum in multiple myeloma?
IgG or IgA
What are the symptoms of hereditary spherocytosis?
Anaemia
Jaundice (neonatal)
Splenomegaly
Pigmented gallstones
What is the treatment for chronic lymphocytic leukaemia?
Often nothing – “watch and wait”
Cytotoxic chemotherapy e.g. fludarabine, bendamustine
Monoclonal antibodies e.g. Rituximab, obinutuzamab
Novel agents (these are targeted therapies)
Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitor eg ibrutinib
(think of Brutus on a tyrosine kinase inhibitor)
PI3K inhibitor eg idelalisib
(Think of Pie eaten by KKK)
BCL-2 inhibitor eg venetoclax
(Think of a female venus on Jeremy Clarkson)
What is the managment of TRALI?
Stop transfusion immediately and follow other steps for managing suspected transfusion reactions.
Provide cardiovascular and airway support. Administer supplemental oxygen and employ ventilation as necessary. Diuretics are not beneficial.
How is the diagnosis of multiple myeloma made?
X-ray - lytic bone lesions of the skull, long bones and the spine
CT scan - radiodense bone lesions and lesions found in the spleen, lymph nodes and lungs as a result of chronic disease
MRI
FISH (fluorescent in situ hybridisation)
LAB results: leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, creased monoclonal proteins, bence jones proteins, raised calcium
Bone marrow biopsy - over 30% plasma cells
What are the platelets like in myelofibrosis?
Platelets are increased, abnormally shaped and they have decreased survival
What are poor prognostic indicators for chronic lymphocytic leukaemia?
Advanced disease (Binet stage B or C)
Atypical lymphocyte morphology
Rapid lymphocyte doubling time (<6 mth), or over 50% increase in less than 2 months
CD 38+ expression
Loss/mutation p53; del 11q23 (ATM gene) - p53 is a tumour suppressor gene - loss in this is a bad prognostic indicator for ANY cancer pretty much - good tip for exams to include this as an answer.
Unmutated IgVH gene status
Raised LDH (lactate dehydrogenase - this is a measure of haemolysis)
Male Sex
Age over 70
Lymphocyte count over 50
I think another poor prognostic indicator would be mutation on short arm of chromosome 17 as opposed to the long arm of 13
Who gets acute lymphoblastic leukaemia?
Ususally children less than 6 years of age
How do innate immune diosrders present?
Defects in phagocyte funtion
(staph aureus, sepsis, skin lesions, abscesses internal organs)
(Aspergillus infections (lung, bones, brain)
(Complement deficiencies)
N, Meningitidis
Why does the liver and spleen get bigger in primary myelofibrosis?
As a result of myeloid metaplasia
Liver and spleen start making haematopeitic stem cells
What are the vitamin K dependant factors?
4,7,9,10
Warfarin reduces the amount of these factors
What is the treatment of hereditary angiodema?
Acute managment of pharyngeal / laryngeal obstruction
Acute abdominal pain
Requires C-1 inhibitor infusion OR fresh frozen plasma
Red cell donor table
What are poor prognostic factors for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia?
Poor prognosis factors:
Increasing age
Increased white cell count
Immunophenotype (more primitive forms)
Cytogenetics/molecular genetics
t(9;22); t(4;11)
t(9;22) is the philidelphia chromosome I think
Slow/poor response to treatment
What is the error in haemoglobin for sickle cell and thalassaemia?
Sickle cell = abnormal haemoglobin
Thalasaemia =
What mediates immediate tissue rejection?
Immediate rejection is mediated by ABO/HLA antibodies and compliment activation which damages blood vessels (rapid intravascular thrombosis and necrosis)
What is the presentation of acute leukaemia?
Thrombocytopenic bleeding (Purpura and mucosal membrane bleeding). Petechial bleeding that is non blanching.
- Infection because of neutropenia (predominantly bacterial and fungal) e.g cellulitis
- Bone marrow failure - there is a complete replacement of bone marrow with blast cells. These cells are undifferentiated.
What are investigations for chronic lymphocytic leukaemia?
Blood count : lymphocytosis (over 5000 per mm3), thrombocytopenia
Bone marrow is over 30% lymphocytes
Loss of immunoglobulin production
Haemolytic anaemia
Smudge cells on blood film
Immunophenotyping
What is the diagnostic test for G6PD deficiency?
G6PD enzyme assay
What is the cause of death in myelofibrosis?
Death is usually due to bone marrow failure (haemorrhage, anaemia, or infection), transformation to acute leukaemia, portal or pulmonary hypertension, heart failure, cachexia, or myeloid metaplasia with organ failure.
What is the presentation of acute myeloid leukaemia?
- Anaemia (SOB, fatigue, pallor)
- Thrombocytopenia (bruising, petechiae, epistaxis)
- Neutropenia (bacterial infections, pneumonia, sepsis)
Neoplastc infiltration:
- Bone marrow (bone pain)
- Thymus (palpable mass/airway compression)
- Liver and spleen (hepatosplenomegaly)
- Lymphadenopathy
- Headaches, vomitting, nerve palsies, nuchal rigidity
Can also cause gum swelling which is classic for acute myeloblastic leukaemia
What is the character of the lymphadenopathy found in lymphoma?
Painless and typically has a rubbery feeling. If it were metastatic cancer from the lung it would typically feel very hard.
How do we prevent graft rejection?
Treatment of rejection:
Corticosteroids
Anti-thymocyte globulin
Plasma exchange
Prevention of graft rejection:
ABO matching
Tissue typing (class 1 and 2 HLA)
Prophylactic immunosuppression
Immunosuppression:
Corticosteroids (prednisolone)
Calcineurin inhibitors (tacrolimus) - blocks interleukin 2 gene transcription
Antiproliferatives (MMF) (mycophenolate mofetil) - these prevent lymphocyte proliferation
What are causes of iron deficiency anaemia?
Menorrhagia
Dyspepsia
PR bleeding
Symptoms of malabsorption (diarrhoea, weight loss)
Jaundice
Splenomegaly
What are the indications of platelet transfusion?
Massive haemorrhage
Bone marrow failure
Prophylaxis for surgery
Cardiopulmonary bypass
What is the cause of factor V leiden?
Increases chances of VTE
mis-sense mutation is that activated factor V (a clotting factor) is inactivated 10 times more slowly by activated protein C than normal
What mediates acute tissue rejection?
Acute rejection is mediated by cell and antibody defences. Cellular infiltration of graft by Tc cells, B - cells, NK cells and Macrophages. Causes endothelial inflammation and parenchymal damage.
What is the presentation of essential thrombocytosis?
Characteristic symptom is a burning sensation in the hands
Thrombosis (venous or arterial) and haemorrhage can be seen.
Symptoms of arterial and venous thromboses, digital ischaemia, gout, headache
Mild splenomegaly
What is the time period recquired for immedaite tissue rejection, acute tissue rejection and chronic tissue rejection?
Immediate rejection = within minutes
Acute rejection = less than 6 months
Chronic rejection = more than 6 months
What are the two types of haemolysis seen in normocytic anaemia?
Immune is mosty extravascular
Non-immune is mostly intravascular
What is the cause of essential thrombocytopenia?
Megakaryocyte proliferation results in an overproduction of platelets.
What are exmamples of warm antibody?
Autoimmune
Drugs
CLL
What is the mechanism of G^PD deficiency?
↓ G6PD → ↓ glutathione → increased red cell susceptibility to oxidative stress
What are hallmarks for primary myelofibrosis?
Leukoerythroblastosis and splenomegaly
Splenomegaly happens as a result of extra medullary haematopoeisis
Trephine biopsy shows an excess of megakaryocytes, increased reticulin and fibrous tissue replacement
Presence of a JAK2 mutation supports the diagnosis
What are the symptoms of TRALI?
Acute onset of fever, chills, dyspnoea, tachypnoea, tachycardia, hypotension, hypoxaemia and noncardiogenic bilateral pulmonary oedema leading to respiratory failure during or within 6 hours of transfusion. (shock picture)
What are the B cell markers found on immnophenotyping?
CD19, 20 and 23 and CD5 positive
CD19 and 20 are common markers to which we target therapy
Prognosis for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia?
Prognosis:
Adults with ALL
complete remission rate 78–91%
leukaemia-free survival at 5y 30–35%
Children with ALL
5y overall survival ~90%
Poor risk patients (slow response to induction or Philadelphia positive) 5y OS 45%
(most children survive, half of adults survive)
What are the symptoms of TACO?
(transfusion associated circulatory overload)
Acute respiratory distress
Tachycardia
Raised blood pressure
Acute worsening pulmonary oedema on CXR
Evidence of positive fluid balance
Orthopnea
(shortness of breath, peripheral and pulmonary oedema, high blood pressure)
What causes chronic lymphocytic leukaemia?
Monoclonal proliferation of mature functionally abnormal B cells, these mature B lymphocytes accumulate in the bone marrow - physical suppression, prevents maturation
How does sickle cell disease present?
Painful criris
Stroke
Gallstones
Chest crisis:
- Chest pain
- Fever
- Worsening hypoxia
Why might factor 8 be reduced in von willebrands disease?
Von willebrand factor is a carrier molecule of factor 8
How do innate immune disorders arise?
Defects in phagocyte function
Complement deficiencies
Absence or polymorphisms in pathogen recognition receptors
What causes hereditary angiodema?
Caused by a C1 inhibitor deficiency
Autosomal dominant
What are the treatments available for primary myelofibrosis?
Low risk for thrombosis
Antiplatelet drugs (aspirin, anagrelide)
High risk for thrombosis
Hydroxyurea, interferon-alpha
Folate to prevent deficiency
Ruxolitinib is a JAK2 inhibitor that has recently been licensed for use
Haematopoietic stem cell transplant is the only treatment option with a potential for cure.
What is the treatment for haemolytic anaemia?
Treatment for haemolytic anaemia
Support marrow function
–Folic acid
Correct cause
–Immunosuppression if autoimmune
- Steroids
- Treat trigger eg.CLL, Lymphoma
–Remove site of red cell destruction
•Splenectomy
–Treat sepsis, leaky prosthetic valve, malignancy etc. if intravascular
Consider transfusion
Causes for haemolysis:
autoimmune - give steroids / immunosuppressants
DRUGS
CLL - treat
CHAD
Infections - treat sepsis
(so basically, give steroids if autoimmune, treat any infections and cancers)
What are the types of macrocytic anaemia?
Megaloblastic = vitamin B12 and folate
Normoblastic =
- Alcohol
- Liver disease
- Hypohyroidism
- Pregnancy
- Reticulocytosis
- Myelodysplasia
- Cytotoxic drugs
What is the treatment of chronic myeloid leukaemias?
Tyrosine kinase inhibitors
Says to not give blood - will exacerbate hyperviscosity (I think this is in respect to tumour lysis syndrome)
What is the investigation for sickle cell disease?
Lab results:
- Target cells
- Reticulocytosis
- Increased WBC
Evidence of haemolysis (increased unconjugated bilirubin, increased lactate dehydrogenase, decreased haptoglobin)
Haemoglobin electrophoresis = definitive diagosis
What is the diagnosis of acute lymphoblasic leukaemia?
Blood count - increased WBC, increased lymphoblasts
Bone marrow smear (hypercellular bone marrow, lymphoblast domination)
Immunophenotyping - Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) is a marker found in premature T and pre-mature B lymphoblasts that is used to diagnose acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
What is the effect of cellular immunodeficiency?
Unusual or opportunistic infections often combined with failure to thrive
pneumocystis jirovecii
CMV
What is the cause of sickle cell disease?
Point mutation in the beta globin gene
Produces haemaglobin S (HbS) - these cells containing HbS tend to crescent chapes when they are deoxygenated
They have one normal and one abnormal beta globin chain
What antibodies are present in A group blood?
Antibodies against type B blood
Note on 22q11
Most common microdeletion syndrome
Incidence is higher in those with down’s syndrome
2nd most common cause of developmental delay and major congenital heart disease
What is the treatment of hodgkin lymphoma?
Combination chemotherapy (ABVD)
+/- radiotherapy
Monoclonal antibodies (anti-CD30)
Immunotherapy (checkpoint inhibitors)
Use of PET scan to assess response to treatment and to limit use of radiotherapy
Rituximab an be used as well
What are the different types of acute lymphoblstic leukaemia?
Composed of T cell precursors or B cell precursors
These cells are stuck in the blast phase (undifferentiated)
Divide uncontrollably - take up a lot of space and nutrients in the bone marrow - cytopenias (anaemia, thombocytopenias, leukopenias)
What is responsible for fibrinolysis?
Plasmin
What are the blood findings in tumour lysis syndrome?
High potassium
High phosphate
Low calcium
High uric acid
High urea and nitrogen containing compounds
What are the different types of von wilebrand disease?
Type 1 = quantitive deficiency (80% of patients)
Type 2 = qualititive deficiency
Type 3 = severe (complete) deficiency
How does myeloma affec tthe kidneys?
Small molecular weight molecules can pass through the glomerulus - bence jones protein in the urine - causes proximal tubular necrosis
Cast nephropathy
Nephrocalcinosis as a result of hypercalciuria
Free light chains deposit in the kidneys, heart and other organs - causing AL amyloidosis
What is the most common cause of death in patients with sickle cell disease?
URTI
What type of blood should you give in emergencies? (minutes)
O RhD neg red cells (AB plasma)
Who gets G6PD deficiency?
It is X linked recessive so Males
Common in people from mediterranean and africa
What is the treatment for essential thrombocytosis?
hydroxyurea (hydroxycarbamide) is widely used to reduce the platelet count
Anagrelide
interferon-α is also used in younger patients
low-dose aspirin may be used to reduce the thrombotic risk
What are the complications of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia?
Abnormal Ig secretion (hypogammaglobulinaemia, autoimmunity)
Richter syndrome- can progress to aggressive lymphoma (large B cell lymphoma)
What is the presentation of anaemia?
General features due to reduced oxygen delivery to tissues:
Tiredness/pallor
Breathlessness
Swelling of ankles
Dizziness
Chest pain
Potential History:
–Dyspepsia GI bleeding
–Other bleeding, eg menorrhagia
–Diet (NB children and elderly)
Increased requirement - pregnancy
Malabsorption from gastrectomy and coeliacs
Atrophic tongue
Angular Chelitis
Hypochromic, microcytic cells
Koilonychia
B12/folate deficiency = anaemia, neurological symptoms (subacute combined degeneration of the cord in B12 deficiency.)
Megaloblastic anaemia:
“Lemon yellow” tinge
–Bilirubin, LDH
–Red cells friable
What is the investigation for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia?
Low haemoglobin
Raised WCC (this is incontrast to myeloma which has leukopenia)
Low platelets
Bone marrow (90% B - Lymphoblasts)
What is the presentation for polycythaemis rubra vera?
Incidence peaks in the 6th decade
hyperviscosity (stroke, vascular occlusion, thrombosis, TIA)
pruritus, typically after a hot bath
splenomegaly
haemorrhage (secondary to abnormal platelet function)
plethoric appearance
hypertension in a third of patients
Symptoms of hyperviscosity include loss of concentration, headaches, dizziness, blackouts, pruritis and epistaxis