Hematology Flashcards
What medication is used to prevent recurrences of sickle cell crisis in a patient with sickle cell disease?
hydroxyurea
What is the best initial treatment for parvovirus B 19 (causing aplastic anemia)?
immunoglobulins
What is a common manifestation of sickle cell trait?
isosthenuria (defect in the ability to concentrate urine)
A patient presents with recurrent episodes of hemolysis and jaundice and has a family history of anemia/ hemolysis most likely suffers from ….
Hereditary Spherocytosis
What is the most accurate test for Hereditary Spherocytosis?
Osmotic fragility
How can you distinguish microcytic anemia due to iron deficiency form anemia due to thalassemia?
1) RDW (increased in iron; normal in thal)
2) iron studies (abnormal in iron; normal in thal)
What is the initial best test in a patient with macrocytic anemia?
peripheral blood smear (hypersegmented neutrophils)
What is the next best test in a patient with macrocytic anemia and hypersegemented neutrophils?
folate and B12 levels
What medication can cause folate deficiency?
1) phenytoin
2) sulfa drugs
3) Methotrexate
What are common causes of vitamin B12 deficiency? (5)
1) pernicious anemia
2) pancreatic insufficiency
3) inflammation of bowel (crohns, celiac, etc)
4) diphyllohothrium latum
5) blind loop syndrome (gastric bypass)
What is the most common neurologic symptoms in patient with vitamin B 12 deficiency?
Peripheral neuropathy
What is the best test to differentiate macrocytic anemia due to vitamin B12 deficiency versus folate deficiency?
methylmalonic acid level (elevated in B12; normal in folate)
used if B12 equivocal b/s transcobolamin is acute phase reactant
What is the confirmatory test for pernicious anemia?
1) Anti-intrinsic factor
2) anti-parietal cell antibodies
What electrolyte disturbance is a complication of vitamin B12 and folate replacement?
hypokalemia (K pushed into new cells)
What are common non-hematology manifestations in sickle cell disease? (5)
1) bilirubin gallstones (due to increased indirect bilirubin)
2) increased infections (encapsulated due to autosplenectomy)
3) osteomyelitis (Salmonella)
4) retinopathy
5) stroke
What is the most common cause of osteomyelitis in sickle cell disease?
Salmonella
What is the best initial test for sickle cell disease?
peripheral smear (Howell- Jolly bodies)
What is the most accurate test for sickle cell disease?
hemoglobin electrophoresis
What cells are found on blood smear in sickle cell disease?
Howell- Jolly bodies (precipitated remnants of nuclear material in RBC)
What cells are found in blood smear in G6PD deficiency?
Bite cells
What is the treatment for hereditary spherocytosis?
- chronic folic acid replacement (support RBC production)
2) splenectomy (stops hemolysis)
A patient presents with hemolytic anemia, spherocytosis on blood smear and a positive Coombs test most likely suffers from …
Autoimmune (Warm or IgG) hemolysis
What is the most accurate diagnostic test for Autoimmune (Warm or IgG) hemolysis?
Coombs test (detects antibodies)
What distinguishes hereditary spherocytosis from autoimmune (warm or IgG) hemolysis?
- Coombs test (negative in HS; postive in IgG)
2. Family hx of anemia (positive in HS; negative in IgG)
What is the best initial treatment for autoimmune (warm or IgG) hemolysis?
Steroids
What treatment can be used in a patient with recurrent hemolysis from autoimmune hemolysis who are already asplenic?
Rituximab
A patient presents with numbness or mottling of nose, ears, fingers, and toes that resolves when the body part is warmed most like suffers from ….
Cold agglutinin disease (IgM mediated)
What is the most accurate test for Cold agglutinin disease?
cold agglutinin titer
What is the best treatment for cold agglutinin?
- stay warm
2. Rituximab
What is the inheritance pattern of G6PD deficiency?
X-linked recessive
What are common drugs that induce hemolysis in patients with G6PD deficiency? (6)
- Dapsone
- Quinindine
- Sulfa (Bactrim)
- primaquine
- nitrofurantoin
- fava beans
What is the best initial test for G6PD deficiency?
blood smear (bite cells and Heinz bodies w/ methylene blue stain)
What is the most accurate test for G6PD deficiency?
G6PD level 1-2 months after actue episode
A child presents with hemolytic anemia, schistocytes on blood smear, thrombocytopenia and renal insufficiency most likely has …
Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS)
An adult presents with hemolytic anemia, schistocytes on blood smear, thrombocytopenia, renal insufficiency, fever and neuro disorder most likely suffers from …
Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura
What is the deficient in patients with HUS and TTP?
metalloproteinase ADAMTS 13
A patient presents with episodic dark urine with first urination, pancytopenia, iron deficiency anemia most likely suffers form …
paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH)
What is the defect in paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobuinuria (PNH)?
defect in PIG-A gene leading to deficient decay accelerating factor (complement regulatory protein CD55 and 59)
What is the pathophysiology behind paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria?
hypoventilation during sleep –> acidosis –> RBCs are most sensitive to complement in acidosis leading to hemolysis and thrombosis
What is the most accurate test for paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria?
CD55 and CD59 levels/ flow cytometry (decreased)
What is the best initial treatment for hemolysis associated with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria?
prednisone
What is the curative treatment for paroxysmal noctural hemoglobinuria?
bone marrow transplant
What is the mechanism of action of Eculizumab and what disease can it be used in?
inactivates C5; paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria
What is the most accurate test for aplastic anemia?
bone marrow biopsy
A patient presents with fatigue, anemia, increased infections and bleeding most likely suffers from …
aplastic anemia (pancytopenia not due to other cause)
What is the curative treatment for aplastic anemia?
allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) (if young and matched donor)
What is the alternative treatment for aplastic anemia if patient is older or does not have a donor match?
Antithymocyte globulin (ATG) and cyclosporine
What is the mutation associated with polycythemia vera?
JAK2 protein
A patient presents with hypertension, splenomegaly, bleeding, thrombosis, elevated hct (>60%), oxygen sats normal, and low erythropoietin most likely suffers from …
polycythemia vera
What is the most accurate test for polycythemia vera?
JAK2 mutation
A patient presents with elevated platelets (>1 million), erythromelalgia, thrombosis and bleeding most likely suffers from …
Essential Thrombocytosis
What is the best initial therapy for Essential Thrombocytosis?
hydroxyurea
What is erythromelalgia?
painful red hands in essential thrombocytosis
A patient presents with pancytopenia, bone marrow fibrosis, hepatosplenomegaly, and teardrop-shaped cells on blood smear most likely suffers from ..
Myelofibrosis
What type of cells are present in blood smear in myelofibrosis?
tear-drop shaped cells
What are medications used in myelofibrosis?
thalidomide and lenalidomide (TNF inhibitors)
What is the best initial test for acute leukemia?
blood smear (blasts)
What is cause of death in a patient with anemia?
myocardial infarction
if Hct > 20
How much should the hematocrit increase with each unit of packed RBC?
3 points per unit
What is considered microcytic anemia?
MCV < 80
iron deficiency, thalassemia, sideroblastic, lead poisoning, anemia of chronic disease
What is considered macrocytic anemia?
MCV > 100 (B12, folate, liver, alcohol)
What is megaloblastic anemia?
macrocytic anemia with hypersegmented neutrophils (>4 lobes)
b12, folate
What are causes of normocytic anemia (MCV 80-100)?
- blood loss
2. hemolysis
What are common cause of folate deficiency?
- decreased dietary intake (no green vegetables, no vitamin, alcoholic)
- increased cell turn over (sickle cell, pregnancy, eczema)
- phenytoin
What is the Schilling’s test used for?
to detect cause of vitamin B 12 (pancreatic insufficiency, diphyllobothrium latum)
A pt with microcytic anemia along with pica, brittle nails, spoon shaped nail, and glossitis most likely suffers from …
iron deficiency anemia
What are the iron studies for a patient with iron deficiency anemia?
high serum iron
high TIBC
low ferritin
high RDW
What is the cause of anemia of chronic disease?
inability to use iron sequestered in stores
What are the iron studies for a patient with anemia of chronic disease?
low serum iron
low TIBC
normal-high ferritin
What is the treatment for thalassemia major associated hemochromatosis?
defuroxamine (iron chelator)
no phlebotomy b/c getting transfused regularly
When would you use iron supplementation and erythropoietin for anemia of chronic disease?
due to renal disease caused by chemotherapy/radiation for cancer
What is the most common cause of iron deficiency anemia?
- GI blood loss
2. menstrual blood loss
What is the cause of sideroblastic anemia?
disorder of synthesis of hemoglobin characterized by iron trapped in mitochondria
What drugs can cause sideroblastic anemia?
- alcohol
- isoniazid
- chloramphenicol
- lead poisoning
What are the iron studies for sideroblastic anemia?
high serum iron
low TIBC
high ferritin
What is the most accurate diagnostic test for sideroblastic anemia?
Prussian blue stain (ringed sideroblasts- iron trapped in mitochondria)
What is a medical treatment that can be helpful with sideroblastic anemia?
pyridoxine (B6) (if have defect of ALA synthetase)
Which of the microcytic anemia diseases is more likely to be associated with target cells on peripheral smear?
Thalassemia
A 6 month old baby develops severe anemia, splenomegaly, jaundice and bone deformities most likely suffers from ….
Beta thalassemia major (Cooley anemia)
What are the iron studies for thalassemia?
normal iron
normal TIBC
normal ferritin
normal RDW