Haemolytic Anaemia Flashcards
What is haemolytic anaemia?
Anaemia due to shortened RBC survival
How long do RBCs circle for?
Approx 120 days
Where are senescent RBCs removed?
Reticular endothelial system of the liver and spleen
How long do haemolytic anaemia RBCs survive for?
30-80 days
What does the shortened red cell survival mean for the blood?
Increased RBC production and increased young cells in circulation -> reticulocytosis
What is incomplete compensated haemolysis?
When RBC production is unable to keep up with decreased RBC lifespan -> decreased haemoglobin
What are the symptoms of haemolytic anaemia?
Jaundice Pallor Fatigue Splenomegaly Gallstones Leg ulcers Folate deficiency line folate use in RBC production
What would a peripheral blood film show in haemolytic anaemia?
Polychromatophilia
Nucleated RBC
Thrombocytosis
Neutrophilia with left shift
What happens to the bone marrow in haemolytic anaemias?
Erythroid hyperplasia
What does haemolytic anaemia cause in the bone marrow?
Increase in unconjugated bilirubin, lactate dehydrogenase, urobilinogen and urinary haemosiderin
Decrease serum haploglobin protein that binds free haemoglobin
What does erythroid hyperplasia cause?
Normoblastic reactions
Reversal of myeloid: erythroid ratio
Variable reticulocytosis
What are the general classifications of haemolytic anaemia?
Inheritance
Site of RBC destruction
Origin of RBC damage
What are the inheritance classifications of haemolytic anaemia?
Hereditary
Acquired
What are the site of RBC destruction classifications of haemolytic anaemia?
Intravascular
Extravascular
What are the origin of RBC damage classifications of haemolytic anaemia?
Intrinsic
Extrinsic
What is an example of hereditary haemolytic anaemia?
Hereditary spherocytosis
What is an example of acquired haemolytic anaemia?
Immune haemolytic anaemia
What is an example of intravascular haemolytic anaemia?
Haemolytic transfusion reaction
What is an example of extravascular haemolytic anaemia?
Autoimmune haemolysis
What is an example of intrinsic haemolytic anaemia?
G6PD deficiency
What is an example of extrinsic haemolytic anaemia?
Delayed haemolytic transfusion reaction
What are examples of membrane defect intrinsic haemolytic anaemia?
Hereditary spherocytosis, elliptocytosis or pyroporkilocytosis
What are examples of enzyme defect intrinsic haemolytic anaemia?
G6PD, PK
What are examples of haemoglobin defect intrinsic haemolytic anaemia?
Sickle cell
Thalassaemias
What are examples of immune mediated extrinsic haemolytic anaemia?
Autoimmune (warm, cold, drug induced)
Alloimmune (HDN, haemolytic transfusion reaction)
What are examples of non-immune extrinsic haemolytic anaemia?
Red cell fragmentation syndromes
Drugs
Infections
Hypersplenism
What normally happens when RBCs breakdown?
Macrophages break them down and they go to the liver to be excreted from the kidney
What happens in haemolytic anaemia for RBC breakdown?
RBCs lyse in veins, which leads to haemoglobinurea
Which integral proteins are normally found in a cell membrane?
Glycophorin A and C
Bard 3
What are the cytoskeletal proteins found in the RBC membrane?
Ankyrin
Alpha and beta spectrin
Protein 4.2 and 4.1
Actin