Haemolytic Anaemias Flashcards
What is anaemia ?
Anaemia: ↓ Hb = ↓ RBCs = ↓ oxygen-carrying capacity = cannot meet physiological needs
What is haemolytic anaemia ?
Anaemia which is due to ⬆ breakdown of RBCs
(↓ RBC survival)
Describe the variation in blood Hb concentration
↑ Hb level in neonates
↓ Hb in infants
↑ 1 years old-adulthood (20 years old aprox)
↑ Hb in males
Describe the normal RBC life cycle .
- RBC produced in bone marrow.
- 7.8 microns diameter - flexible=squeeze through 3.5micron capillaries ( = they deform their shape, cytoplasmic enzymes)
- Circulate for 120 days (no nuclei/cytoplasmic organelles(mitochondria)).
- RBC enzymes produce energy to maintain RBC shape.
- RES removes RBCs after 120 days (reticuloendothelial system=liver/spleen)
What is Haemolysis ?
- Shortened RBC lifespan from 120 days -> 30-80 days
- BM compensates by ⬆ RBC production
=⬆ immature RBCs (⬆ reticulocytes & nucleated RBCs)
What is compensated haemolysis?
⬆ RBC production(BM) compensates for ↓ RBC life span (⬆ RBC destruction) = normal Hb levels
What is incompletely compensated haemolysis?
insufficient RBC production to balance out ⬇ RBC life span (↑ haemolysis) = ↓ Hb
What are some clinical findings with haemolysis?
Jaundice
Pallor + Fatigue
Splenomegaly
Normal urine
Why does haemolyisis cause jaundice ?
- RBC Hb broken down -> haem + globin.
- Haem broken down -> protoporphyrin (contains iron).
- Protoporphyrin broken down -> bilirubin (unconjugated in plasma) = yellow skin + eyes
What is Pallor and why does haemolysis cause this ?
Pale appearance linked with fatigue.
-Caused by ↓ Hb = insufficient oxygen to the tissues.
What is splenomegaly and how is it caused ?
Spleen = Organ that removes old/damaged RBCs cells
Splenomegaly = Spleen enlarges in haemolysis
What happens to the urine in haemolysis?
Haemolysis = ↑ urobilinogen = normal/dark urine
What is haemolytic crisis ?
Haemolytic crisis = ↑ anaemia + jaundice with infections/precipitants.
What is aplastic crisis?
Aplastic crises = Anaemia involving other cells as well as RBCs
Reticulocytopenia (↓ reticulocytes) and parvovirus infection.
More chronic clinical findings of haemolysis
- Gallstones - pigment stones (due to ⬆ breakdown of RBC -> BILIRUBIN)
- Leg ulcers - due to vascular stasis/local ischaemia
- Folate deficiency - due to ⬆ demand due to RBC being broken down and more required
Lab investigation for Haemolytic Anaemia - Bone marrow findings
-As a compensatory mechanism to haemolysis, erythroid hyperplasia occurs in BM - normoblasts formed, Myeloid:Erythroid ratio reversal (normal M:E = 2:1-5:1).
Haemolytic anaemia = erythroid hyperplasia = M:E = 1:2-1:5
-Reticulocytosis - variable.
Mild reticulocytosis = 2-10% of reticulocytes ⬆ in BM = haemoglobinopathy.
Moderate-Marked reticulocytosis = 10-60% reticulocytes ⬆ in BM = Immune Haemolytic Anaemia, Hereditary Spherocytosis, G6P Dehydrogenase deficiency
Typical Lab Findings for Haemolytic Anaemia
- ⬆ reticulocyte count (reticulocytosis)
- ⬆ unconjugated bilirubin in plasma - ⬆ RBC breakdown
- ⬆ LDH (lactate dehydrogenase) -released from lysed RBC
- ⬇ serum haptoglobin = protein that binds free haemoglobin. More Hb is being released into plasma, haptoglobin binds to Hb = ⬇ haptoglobin in serum
- ⬆ urobilinogen. bilirubin is released + metabolised
- ⬆ urinary hemosiderin
Abnormal blood film
What can we see on the blood film for HA?
-Reticulocytes
-Polychromatophilic cells = RBCs basophilic in colour due to ⬆ RNA content, + bigger than normal RBCs
-Nucleated RBCs - being broken down
-Poikilocytes - Different shapes of RBC
-Spherocytes, Sickle cell, Target cells, Schistocytes (fragmented, triangular rbc)
acanthocytes
Classification of Haemolytic Anaemia - 3 categories
- Inheritance - Inherited/Acquired
- Site of RBC destruction - Intravascular/Extravascular(outside vessels,within reticuloendothelial system=spleen + liver)
- Origin of RBC damage - Intrinsic/Extrinsic
Inheritance classification of haemolytic anaemia
- Hereditary - Hereditary spherocytosis
- Acquired - Immune Haemolytic Anaemia
Site of RBC destruction classification of haemolytic anaemia
Intravascular - e.g. Haemolytic transfusion reaction.
Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura
(Blood disorder which causes clots forming in blood vessels -low RBC, platelets due to breakdown )
Extravascular = outside vascular system, within reticuloendothelial system (liver + spleen) - e.g. Autoimmune haemolysis (antibodies are directed against a person’s own RBC causing them to burst)
Origin of RBC damage classification of haemolytic anaemia
Intrinsic (within RBC) - e.g. G6PD deficiency
(Genetic disorder that affects mostly males, G6PD enzyme not enough - red bloods cells don’t work properly
Extrinsic (outside RBC) - e.g. infection
Delayed haemolytic transfusion reaction (present with RBC haemolysis following transfusion)
Describe Acquired RBC haemolysis
Immune:
- Autoimmune (immune system)
- Alloimmune (immune response to non self antigens)
Non-immune:
-Paroxysmal Noctural haematuria (rare acquired disease which destroys RBC) - not by immune system
Go through the different types/causes of Hereditary RBC haemolysis:
RBC enzymopathies :
- G6PD deficiency
- PK deficiency
RBC membrane disorders:
- Hereditary spherocytosis (sphere shaped RBC instead of biconcave)
- Hereditary elliptocytosis (elliptical rather than biconcave)
Haemoglobinopathies:
-Sickle cell diseases
-Thalassaemia
(no/little haemoglobin production)
Where is the normal site of RBC destruction?
Normal RBC destruction = Extravascular haemolysis
- Reticuloendothelial Macrophages engulf abnormal RBC and break it down into globin + iron + protoporphyrin.
- Iron + globin are reused to make Hb
- Protoporphyrin -> bilirubin. Bilirubin becomes unconjugated bilirubin and is taken to liver where it becomes bilurubin glucoronides (conjugated) and is excreted in faeces as stercobilinogen/urine as urobilinogen
Describe intravascular RBC breakdown
Intravascular haemolysis = Abnormal
RBC breakdown within vascular system = Hb is released into circulation (free Hb). Some Hb enters kidney + urine (haemoglobinuria). + Hb breakdown forms haemosiderin (also enters urine=haemosiderinuria)
What is the pathway that protoporphyrin undergoes following extravascular haemolysis?
Protoporphyrin → Bilirubin
Bilirubin = unconjugated in blood plasma, transported to liver
Bilirubin is carried to liver + gut
Bilirubin is conjugated to stercobilinogen in faeces
OR
Bilirubin is reabsorbed + travels to kidneys = urobilinogen in urine.
Describe the pathway of iron following extravascular RBC breakdown
The iron is transported in blood by transferrin.
(transferrin = iron transport protein)
Describe the pathway followed by globin following RBC being broken down extravascular
The globin will be broken down into amino acids
What is haemoglobinuria ?
The presence of excess haemoglobin in the urine
What is haemosiderinuria
Presence of hemosiderin in the urine.
Haemosiderin = the protein compound which stores iron in tissues.
When Hb breaks down, it releases iron.
What is Methaemalbumin ?
Methaemalbumin = degraded haemoglobin enters the plasma and binds to albumin.
What is haptoglobin ?
Haptoglobin = Protein encoded by HP gene.
In blood plasma, haptoglobin binds to free haemoglobin.
Describe the normal structure of a red cell membrane
- Lipid bilayer
- Integral proteins - protein band 3, glycophorin A, glycophorin C
- Membrane skeleton
-Cytoskeletal proteins - spectrin alpha, spectrin beta, ankyrin, protein 4.2, protein 4.1, actin
protein defects = hereditary spherocytosis/hereditary elliptocytosis
What are some defects which may arise in the vertical interaction and what can this cause?
Causes hereditary speherocytosis.
Defects can occour in the following proteins :
- Spectrin
- Band 3
- Protein 4.2
- Ankyrin