Hematology Flashcards
Hct 25 - 30%
Dyspnea (worse on exertion ), fatigue
Hct 20 - 25%
Lightheadedness, angina
Hct < 20%
Syncope, chest pain
Causes of cardiac ischemia
- anemia
- hypoxia
- coronary artery disease
- carbon monoxide poisoning
Causes of microcytosis
LITS
- Lead poisoning
- Iron deficiency
- Thalassemia
- Sideroblastic anemia
Microcytosis
- low MCV
- low reticulocyte count
Causes of macrocytic anemia
- B12 and folate deficiency
- Sideroblastic anemia
- Alcoholism
- Liver disease or hypothyroidism
- Medications (e.g. zidovudine or phenytoin)
- Myelodysplastic syndrome
- Antimetabolite rx: azathioprine, 6-MP, or hydroxyurea
Under normal circumstances, situations that raise reticulocyte count
- Blood loss
- Hemolysis
Normocytic anemia
- acute blood loss
- hemolysis
Treatment of severe anemia
- Packed red blood cells
When do you transfuse a patient:
- If patient is symptomatic
2. Low hct in an elderly pr or one w/ heart disease.
Symptomatic from anemia
- SOB
- Lighthead, confused, and sometimes syncope
- Hypotension and tachycardia
- Chest pain
Packed Red Blood Cells
- concentrated form of bloos
- whole blood w/ 150ml plasma removed
- Hct is 70 - 80%
- 1 unit of PBRCs raise Hct by about 3 points per unit
Fresh Frozen Plasma
- replaces clotting factors in pts with elevated PTT, aPTT, or INR
- used as replacement w/ plasmapheresis
Blood products for IgA deficient donor
IgA deficient donor FFP
Cryoprecicipate
- used to replace fibrinogen
- some utility in DIC
- provides high amts of clotting factors in smaller plasma volume
- High factor VIII and VWF
Microcytosis
- MCV lower than noral
- usually below 80fL
Iron deficiency
- caused by blood loss
- Fe needs for 1 - 2mg /day
- menstruating women need 2 - 3 mg /day
- pregnant women need 5 - 6 mg/day
- Fe absorbed in duodenum
Chronic disease
- caused by cancer or chronic infxn
- Fe is locked in storage or trapped in macrophages or in ferritin
- hemoglobin synthesis can’t move forward
Anemia in renal failure
Deficiency of erythropoiestin
- MCV is initially normal then decreases
Sideroblastic anemia
- can be macrocytic as well associated w/ myelodysplasia, preleukemic syndomre
Common causes of sideroblastic anemia
- Alcohol suppressive effect on marrow (MCC)
- Lead poisoning
- Isoniazid
- Vit B6 deficiency
Thalassemia
- extremely common cause of microcytosis
- most patients are assymptomatic
Pt with anemia and c/o blood loss (GI Bleeding). Likely dx?
Iron deficiency
Mensturating woman c/o anemia. Likely dx?
Iron deficiency
Pt with cancer or chronic infxn is anemic. Likely dx?
Anemia of Chronic dix
Anemic Pt with rheumatoid arthritis. Likely dx?
Anemia of chronic disease
Alcoholic pt has anemia. Likely dx?
Sideroblastic anemia
Asymptomatic pt with anemia. Likely dx?
Thalassemia
Most common way to diagnosis microcytic anemia.
Peripheral smea
- target cells are most common w/ thalassemia
Pt has low ferritin. Likely dx?
Iron deficiency
Pt has high iron. Likely dx?
Sideroblastic anemia
Pt has normal iron studies. Likely dx?
Thalassemia
Iron deficiency
- low ferritin is extremely specific for Fe deficiency
- increased TIBC b/c of lots of unbound sites on receptors
Chronic disease
- serum is low in circulation b/c Fe is trapped in storage
- Stored Fe (ferritin) elevated or normal
- Circulating Fe is decreased
- Low TIBC
Sideroblastic anemia
- only microcytic anemia with elevated Fe level
Thalassemia
- genetic disease w/ normal Fe
Unique lab features of Fe deficiency
- increased RDW b/c new cells are more FE deficient and smaller
- as body runs out of Fe, newer cells have less hemoglobin
- elevated platelet count
Unique lab fx of sideroblastic anemia
Prussian blue staining for ringed sideroblastic anemia is msot accutate test
- basophilic stippling can occur in any cause of sideroblastic anemia
Unique lab features: thalassemia
Hemoglobin electrophoresis is most accurate diagnostic test
Alpha thalassemia
3 genes deleted shows moderate anemia with hemoglobin H, whihc are beta-4 tetrads
- increased reticulocytes
Hemoglobin Bart
- four genes deleted
- gamma 4 tetrads
= CHF causes death in utero