Haematology Flashcards
What is Antiphospholipid syndrome?
Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), also known as antiphospholipid antibody syndrome, is the association of antiphospholipid antibodies (lupus anticoagulant, anticardiolipin antibody, and/or anti-beta2-glycoprotein I) with a variety of clinical features characterised by thromboses and pregnancy-related morbidity.
What are the risk factors of antiphospholipid syndrome?
> History of autoimmune or rheumatological diseases like SLE
What are the signs and symptoms of antiphospholipid syndrome?
> Pregnancy or pregnancy loss> Vascular thrombosis (or past)> Thromboytopenia features (e.g. purpura)> Arthritis or arthralgia> Livedo reticularis> Cardiac murmur> Oedema
What is the epidemiology of antiphospholipid syndrome?
The actual incidence of APS is unknown, and the disorder is probably underdiagnosed. APS has been reported to have a prevalence of between 1.0% and 5.6% in normal healthy populations and may increase with age
What investigations would you do for antiphospholipid syndrome?
> Lupus anticoagulant> Anticardiolipin antibodies> Anti beta 2 glycoprotein 1 antibodies> ANA> FBC- thrombocytopenia> Creatinine and urea- elevated if nephropathy
What is aplastic anaemia?
Aplastic anaemia (AA) is defined by pancytopenia with hypocellular marrow and no abnormal cells. At least 2 of the following peripheral cytopenias must be present: haemoglobin <100 g/L (<10 g/dL), platelets <50 × 10⁹/L, absolute neutrophil count <1.5 × 10⁹/L.
What are the risk factors for aplastic anaemia?
> Drug or toxin exposure> Paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria> Recent hepatits> Pregnancy > Autoimmune disease> Family history
What are the signs and symptoms of aplastic anaemia?
> Recurrent infections> Fatigue> Pallor> Bleeding/ easy bruising> Tachycardia> Dyspnoea> Persistent warts
What is the epidemiology of aplastic anaemia?
The incidence of acquired AA is about 2 per million population per year in North America and Europe.There is no gender imbalance. Patients can be affected at any age, although there is a biphasic age distribution with peaks from 10 to 25 years and >60 years.
What investigations do you do for aplastic anaemia?
> FBC- pancytopenia> Reticulocyte- low> Bone marrow biopsy and cytogenetic analyses- hypocellular marrow with no abnormal cell population
What is a blood transfusion?
A blood transfusion is when blood is given from someone else (a donor).
What are the different types of transfusion?
> Red cell> Platelet> Fresh frozen plasma (clotting factors, fibrinogen, plasma proteins, electrolytes, physiological anticoagulants)> Cryoprecipitate (Fibrinogen, Factor 8, Factor 13, Von Willebrand Factor, Fibronectin)> Prothrombin complex concentrate (F2, 9, 10)
What are the shelf life’s of each type of transfusion?
Red cells (10 yrs frozen, 42 days thawed)Platelets (5 days)FFP (1 yr frozen, up to 5 days thawed)Cryoprecipitate (1 yr frozen, 6 hours thawed)
What are the indications of each type of transfusion?
> Red cell- blood loss or poor oxygen delivery> Platelets- Blood cancers which cause cytopenia, CNS trauma or cardiopulmonary bypass> FFP- Isolated factor deficiencies, reversal of warfarin, immunodeficiencies, massive blood transfusions> Cryoprecipitate- vWd, Haemophilia A, F8 deficiency, fibrinogen problems> Prothrombin complex concentrates- urgent reversal of Vit K antagonists if major acute bleed
What complications might you get from a transfusion?
> AKI, anaemia, pulmonary oedema, shock> Overtransfusion (e.g. iron overload, high pro-coagulation)
What is DIC?
Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) is an acquired syndrome characterised by activation of coagulation pathways, resulting in formation of intravascular thrombi and depletion of platelets and coagulation factors.
What are the risk factors of DIC?
> Major trauma or severe infection> Severe obstetric complication> Solid tumours and haem malignancy> Severe toxic or immuno reactions
What are the signs and symptoms of DIC?
> Oliguria, hypotension or tachycardia> Purpura fulminans, gangrene or acral cyanosis> Delirium or coma> Petechiae, ecchymosis, oozing or haematuria
What is the epidemiology of DIC?
Many conditions can cause DIC; therefore, the overall incidence is difficult to determine. Age and sex are not good predictors. Mortality can be high.
What are the appropriate investigations for DIC?
> Platelet count (low)> Prothrombin time (high)> Fibrinogen (low)> D dimer (high)> aPTT (unpredictable)> Imaging (variable)
What is haemolytic anaemia?
Haemolytic anaemia encompasses a number of conditions that result in the premature destruction of RBCs. Common causes include autoantibodies, medications, and underlying malignancy, but the condition can also result from a number of hereditary conditions, such as haemoglobinopathies.
What are the risk factors for haemolytic anaemia?
> Autoimmune disorders> Lymphoproliferative disorders> Prosthetic heart valve> Family are mediterranean, Middle east, sub saharan africa or SE asia> FHx of haemoglobinopathies> Paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria> Recent cephalasporins, peniccilins, quinine derivatives and NSAIDs> Exposure to Napthalene or fava beans> Thermal injuries
What are the signs and symptoms of haemolytic anaemia?
> Pallor> Jaundice> Fatigue> SOB> Dizziness> Splenomegaly> Infections, dark urine
What is the epidemiology of haemolytic anaemia?
The epidemiology of haemolytic anaemia varies with underlying cause. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency, for example, is an X-linked defect in enzyme metabolism causing haemolysis after illness or certain drugsWarm antibody haemolytic anaemia is the most common haemolytic anaemia with an autoimmune cause, and it affects more women than men
What investigations would you do for haemolytic anaemia?
> FBC- low Hb> MCHC- High> Reticulocyte count- high> Peripheral smear- schistocytes, spherocytes, elliptocytes, tear drop cells etc.> Unconj BR- high> LDH- high> Haptoglobin- low> Urinalysis- + for blood no RBC
What is haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS)?
Haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS) is characterised by microangiopathic haemolytic anaemia, thrombocytopenia, and acute kidney injury.
What are the risk factors for HUS?
> ingestion of contaminated food or water> known community outbreak of toxicogenic E coli> exposure to infected individuals in institutional settings> genetic predisposition (atypical HUS)
What are the signs and symptoms of HUS?
> Diarrhoea (with blood)> Young age> Shiga toxin e coli contaminated food> Pregnancy> Previous bone marrow transplant> FHx
What is the epidemiology of HUS?
Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) HUS is most common in young children (<5 years), but it can be seen at any age with decreasing frequency in older children and adults.The annual incidence in the US in children <5 years is 2 to 3 per 100,000. In Europe, the prevalence of atypical or recurrent HUS is 3.3 per million children <18 years of age
What investigations do you do for HUS?
> FBC- anaemia, thrombocytopenia> peripheral blood smear- schistocytes> creatinine- increased> serum electrolytes- deranged> PT, PTT- normal> LDH- high> haptoglobin- low> stool culture on sorbitol-MacConkey agar to detect Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli> polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect Shiga toxin 1/Shiga toxin 2> proteins involved in complement regulation- abnormal if atypical HUS
What is haemophilia?
Haemophilia is a bleeding disorder, usually inherited with an X-linked recessive inheritance pattern, which results from the deficiency of a coagulation factor.
What is the difference between haemophilia A and B?
Haemophilia A results from the deficiency of clotting factor VIII. Haemophilia B results from the deficiency of clotting factor IX.
What are the risk factors of haemophilia?
> family history of haemophilia (congenital haemophilia)> male sex (congenital haemophilia)> age >60 years (acquired haemophilia)> autoimmune disorders, inflammatory bowel disease, diabetes, hepatitis, pregnancy, postnatal, or malignancy (acquired haemophilia)
What are the signs and symptoms of haemophilia?
> Recurrent or severe bleeding> Bleeding into muscles> Prolonged bleeding following heel prick or circumcision> Mucocutaneous bleeding> Haemarthrosis> Excessive bruising> Menorrhagia> Extensive
What is the epidemiology of haemophilia?
The incidence of congenital haemophilia A is about 1 in 5000 boys/men, whereas the incidence of congenital haemophilia B is about 1 in 30,000 boys/men.
What investigations would you do for haemophilia?
> aPTT- Prolonged> plasma factor VIII and IX assay- low> mixing study- aPTT corrected> FBC- normal or low Hb> plain x-rays of specific bony sites- haemarthrosis> antenatal factor VIII or IX mutation analysis by amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling (CVS)- mutationAll normal:> prothrombin time (PT)> plasma von Willebrand factor assay> plasma factor V, VII assay> plasma factor XI, XII assay> closure time/bleeding time and platelet aggregation studies> serum liver aminotransferases- aspartate aminotransferase [AST] and alanine aminotransferase [ALT]
What is ITP?
Primary immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is a haematological disorder characterised by isolated thrombocytopenia (platelet count <100 × 10⁹/L [<100 × 10³/microlitre]) in the absence of an identifiable cause.
What are the risk factors of ITP?
> Women of child bearing age> Age <10 or >65
What are the signs and symptoms of ITP?
> bleeding> absence of systemic symptoms, medicines that cause thrombocytopenia, splenomegaly/ hepatomegaly, lymphadenopathy
What is the epidemiology of ITP?
In Europe, adult ITP has an incidence of 1.6 to 3.9 cases in 100,000 per year, with increasing incidence with older age and a higher female-to-male ratio (3:1) in younger patients.
What investigations would you do for ITP?
FBC and peripheral smear- platelet count <100 x 10^9 /L
What is AML?
Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) is the clonal expansion of myeloid blasts in the bone marrow, peripheral blood, or extramedullary tissues. Bone marrow blasts of at least 20% are diagnostic.
What is ALL?
Acute lymphocytic leukaemia (ALL) is a malignant clonal disease that develops when a lymphoid progenitor cell becomes genetically altered through somatic changes and undergoes uncontrolled proliferation.
What is CML?
Chronic myelogenous leukaemia (CML) is a malignant clonal disorder of the haematopoietic stem cell that results in marked myeloid hyperplasia of the bone marrow.
What is CLL?
Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) is an indolent lymphoproliferative disorder in which monoclonal B lymphocytes (>5 x 10⁹/L [>5 x 10³/microlitre]) are predominantly found in peripheral blood.
What are the risk factors of AML?
> Age over 65> Previous haematological dyspoeisis or chemotherapy> Genes> Radiation or benzene exposure
What are the risk factors of ALL?
> Age: <6, mid 30s, mid 80s
What are the risk factors of CML?
> 65-74 years
What are the risk factors of CLL?
> Age over 60> White males
What are the signs and symptoms of AML?
> Pallor > Ecchymoses or petechiae> Fatigue> Dizziness> Palpitations> Dyspnoea> Infections> Lymphadenopathy> Hepatosplenomegaly> Mucosal bleeding
What are the signs and symptoms of ALL?
> Lymphadenopathy> Hepatosplenomegaly> Pallor, ecchymoses or petechiae> fever> Epistaxis/ menorrhagia> fatigue, dizziness, palpitations and dyspnoea> Meningism and papilloedema> Focal neurological> renal enlargement> Bony pain
What are the signs and symptoms of CML?
> Splenomegaly> Weight loss> Excessive sweating> SOB> Epistaxis/ arthralgia> Fever> Bruising> Pallor
What are the signs and symptoms of CLL?
> SOB> Lymphadenopathy> Splenomegaly