Haematology Flashcards
Thalassaemia types where transfusions NOT required
Alpha thalassaemia trait Beta thalassaemia minor
Equation for tissue oxygen delivery
Tissue O2 delivery = CO x Hb x O2 sat x 1.34 CO = HR x SV
Causes of isolated prolonged APTT
Factor deficiency: VIII, IX, XII, XI, vWF Heparin in sample Antibodies in sample (most commonly lupus anticoagulant) What do you do? - Mix test 1:1 patients plasma + donor plasma. If factor deficiency will then normalise APTT.
Cause of isolated PT prolongation
Factor VII deficiency or Anticoagulant therapy (most commonly wafarin therapy)
Cause of neonate with delayed bleeding from umbilical cord day 5-14 of life with normal PT, APTT + fibrinogen
Factor XIII deficiency Factor XIII cross links fibrin forming a strong fibrin clot
Why should you order fibrinogen as a part of your coag screen?
PT + APTT only measures the coagulation cascade down to fibrin formation. If you do NOT have enough fibrinogen then the PT + APTT will be abnormal, not as a result of deficit higher up in the cascade but at the level of fibrinogen.
What blood product do you use if you have a fibrinogen deficiency?
Cryoprecipitate
DIC coag results DIC disease of the vascular endothelium
APTT: prolonged PT/INR: prolonged Fibrinogen: low or normal D dimers: elevated Plts: low
Liver disease (not producing factors) coag results
APTT: prolonged PT/INR: prolonged Fibrinogen: normal D dimers: normal Plts: normal unless portal HTN
Vitamin K deficiency coag results
APTT: prolonged PT/INR: prolonged Fibrinogen: normal D dimers: normal Plts: normal
PT vs INR
PT: thromboplastin used to activate factor VII and time how long it takes to form fibrin PT / PT ratio = INR
Vitamin K deficiency
Early: 48 hrs (usually due to maternal epileptics / antimetabolites) Classical: 48hrs- 7 days Late: 7 days - 9 months Formula has vitamin K in it
Causes of microcytic anaemia
TICLSS Thalassaemia Iron deficiency, infantile pokilocytosis Copper deficiency, chronic disease Lead poisoning Sideroblastic (XLR) Spherocytosis
Causes of normocytic anaemia
RACHAEL Renal disease Acute blood loss Chronic disease Haemolysis (inherited + acquired) Aplastic anaemia Erythroblastopenia of childhood Liver disease
Causes of macrocytic anaemia
BLOOMED B12 deficiency foLate deficiency Osteopetrosis O Myelodysplastic syndrome EtOH Diamond-blackan / Fanconi anaemia Drugs (MTX, chemo)
Causes of spur cells, bizarre red cells (poikilocytosis)
Vitamin E deficiency (neonates) Burns Hereditary pyropokilocytosis
Causes of target cells
Liver disease Thalassaemia
Post splenectomy changes
Target cells Spherocytes Acanthocytes Howell-Jolly bodies Nucleated RBC
Iron deficiency anaemia FBE, film + iron study results
FBE = low Hb, low MCV, elevated RDW, common to have thrombocytosis Film= cigar cells, target cells, tear drops, anisocytosis “pencil cells” Iron studies= low ferritin, low iron, high transferrin, low transferrin sat
Iron deficiency: supplementation + prevention
Supplementation - 2-6mg/kg/day of elemental iron - Usually reticulocyte response in 48-72hrs - Supplementation should produce a Hb rise of 1g/DL within 4 weeks Prevention - Encourage breast feeding - Iron fortified formula - Encourage vitamin C intake - Introduce iron rich foods from 6 months - Avoid unmodified cow’s milk until 12 months
Clinical consequences of iron deficiency
Most children are asymptomatic Pallor most important clinical sign- only apparent when Hb 70-80 Irritability, anorexia, lethargy + flow murmurs- when Hb falls to <50 Impaired lower scores on Bayley Scale of Infant Development Impaired short term memory + reduced attention in older children Poor growth PICA Exercise intolerance Breath holding spells
Results of iron studies, transferrin, ferritin, soluble transferring receptor in iron deficiency
Iron studies: decreased - Unreliable in diagnosis of iron deficiency - Good measure of compliance of supplements - Falls in acute illness Serum transferrin - Increased Transferrin saturation - Decreased Soluble transferrin receptor - Increased in iron def - NOT an acute phase reactant Ferritin - Acute phase reactant - Decreased Bone marrow - Iron stain: gold standard
Role of vitamin B 12
Cobalamin essential cofactor for: - Synthesis of methionine from homocyteine (requires 5-methyl-tetrahydrofolate) - Conversion of methylmalonyl CoA to succinyl CoA
Vitamin B12 absorbtion
Contained ONLY in animal products Binds to intrinsic factor produced by gastric antrum Gastrectomy affects IF production Absorbed in terminal ileum Transported bound to transcobalamin II which is required to enter cells
Risk factors for vitamin B12 deficiency
Maternal B12 deficiency - Pernicious anaemia - Vegetarian - Terminal ileal disease/ gastric bypass/ gastritis NEC Crohn’s disease Small bowel resection Blind loops/ intestinal infections Pancreatic deficiency
Clinical manifestations of vitamin B12 deficiency + test results
Neurological - Posterior columns affected - Pyramidal tracts - Peripheral neuropathy - Depression - Dementia Developmental delay or regression Hypersegmented neutrophils +/- teardrop cells Macrocytosis, anaemia Raised LDH, homocysteine, methylmolonic acid
What is holotranscobalamin?
Active B12 (measures the B12-TCII complex levels) Early marker of B12 deficiency
Intrinsic + extrinsic causes of haemolysis
Intrinsic - Abnormal Hb - Red cell enzyme deficiency - Red cell membrane disorder Extrinsic - DIC - Drug - Mechanical - Immune
Primary vs secondary autoimmune haemolysis
Primary - Warm: IgG (viral esp CMV, EBV). Spherocytosis. - Cold: IgM, complement (mycoplasma, EBV, syphilis). Agglutination. Secondary - SLE - Immunodeficiency - Infection - Drugs (penicillins, cephalosporins, quinidine, isoniazid, rifampicin) - Malignancy
Treatment of immune mediated haemolysis
- Manage underlying disease - Infection associated is often self limiting - Minimise transfusion - Immunosuppression: more effective for IgG vs IgM - Splenectomy: curative in 60-80% - Rituxamab anti CD20 antibody
Causes of neutropenia
Post viral: most common Drugs Chronic benign neutropenia Cyclic neutropenia (FBE x 3 / week for 6 weeks) Severe congenital neutropenia: early onset + severe infections. May require high dose G-CSF Schwachman Diamond syndrome - Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency - Metaphyseal abnormalities - May progress to marrow aplasia - High risk of AML with G-CSF
What does PT test?
Extrinsic / common pathway II, V, VII, X
What does APTT test?
Intrinsic / common pathway VIII, IX, XI, XII
What are the stages of haematopoiesis in the fetus?
Mesoblastic (yolk sac + placenta) - Main source until ~ 6-8 weeks - Taken over by liver Hepatic - Starts 6-8 weeks Marrow + spleen - Increases in 2nd trimester
Does EPO cross the placenta?
NO! It is initially produced by monocytes + macrophages in the fetal liver + then shifts to the kidney post birth.
Where is the gene for beta Hb located?
Chromosome 11