Hematology Flashcards
Hereditary spherocytosis: Incidence (2).
United States: 1 in 5000.
Northern Europe: 1 in 1000.
Hereditary spherocytosis: Possible clinical manifestations (4).
All patients: Anemia.
Infants: Jaundice.
Adults: Gallstones, splenomegaly.
Hereditary spherocytosis: Complete blood count (3).
Elevated MCHC.
Normal MCV, MCH.
Reticulocytosis.
Hereditary spherocytosis: Tests of stability of red cells.
Increased osmotic fragility.
Increased autohemolysis.
Hereditary spherocytosis: Other laboratory findings (2).
Increased unconjugated bilirubin.
Increased LDH.
Hereditary elliptocytosis: Incidence (2).
United States: 1 in 2500.
Parts of Africa: 1 in 100.
Hereditary elliptocytosis: Clinical manifestations.
Mild disease.
Hereditary elliptocytosis:
A. Inheritance.
B. Molecular defect.
A. Autosomal dominant.
B. The α chain of spectrin.
Hereditary elliptocytosis: Types.
Common: Found in Africans; includes hereditary pyropoikilocytosis.
Spherocytic: Double heterozygosity of HE and HS.
Stomatocytic: Found in Malaysians.
Hereditary elliptocytosis, stomatocytic type:
A. Synonym.
B. Molecular defect.
C. Evolutionary advantage.
A. Southeast Asian ovalocytosis.
B. Band 3.
C. Protection against Plasmodium vivax.
Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency: Examples of oxidative stress (6).
Fava beans.
Methylene blue.
Sulfa drugs.
Primiquine.
Infections.
Nitrofurantoin.
Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency: Peripheral smear.
Heinz bodies (revealed by supravital stain).
Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency: Inheritance.
X-linked recessive.
Pyruvate kinase deficiency:
A. Effect on cell.
B. Clinical presentation.
C. Laboratory findings.
A. Cannot produce enough ATP; cannot maintain ion pumps.
B. Chronic hemolysis of variable severity.
C. Echinocytosis; evidence of extravascular hemolysis.
Pyruvate kinase deficiency:
A. Epidemiology.
B. Inheritance.
A. Occurs worldwide.
B. Autosomal recessive.
Hemoglobin chains:
A. Hb A.
B. Hb A₂.
C. Hb F.
A. α₂β₂.
Β. α₂δ₂.
C. α₂γ₂.
Chains of early fetal hemoglobins.
Hb Gower 1: ζ₂ε₂.
Hb Gower 2: α₂ε₂.
Hemoglobin S:
A. Mutation.
B. Incidence of trait in the United States.
A. β₆ Glu to Val.
B. 8% in blacks.
Sickle-cell trait: Hemoglobins.
Hb A: 50-65%.
Hb S: 35-45%.
Hb A₂: Less than 3%.
Sickle-cell trait:
A. Peripheral smear.
B. Screening tests.
A. Normal.
B. Positive metabisulfite and dithionate tests.
Sickle-cell trait: Renal complications (4).
Hematuria.
Isosthenuria.
Papillary necrosis.
Renal medullary carcinoma.
Sickle-cell trait: Other possible complications (2).
Hypoxia-induced splenic infarct.
Exercise-induced rhabdomyolysis.
Sickle-cell disease: Lifespan of red cells.
17 days.
Sickle-cell disease: Hemoglobins.
Hb S: More than 80%.
Hb F: 1-20%.
Hb A: 0%.
Hb A₂: 1-4%.
Sickle-cell disease: Onset of symptoms.
Occurs at 6 months of age, when Hb S is 50% of total hemoglobin.
Sickle-cell disease: Effect of Hb F.
Prevents polymerization of Hb S.
SC disease:
A. Clinical severity.
B. Hemoglobins.
A. Worse than sickle-cell trait but not as bad as sickle-cell disease.
B. Hb S makes a little more than half of total hemoglobin; Hb C makes up the rest.
Sickle-cell trait/α thalassemia: Percentage of Hb S (2).
One mutated α gene: 30-35% Hb S.
Two mutated α genes: 25-30% Hb S.
Sickle-cell trait/β thalassemia:
A. Percentage of Hb S.
B. Clinical severity.
A. Usually more than 50%.
B. May be severe.
Hemoglobin C: Mutation.
β₆ Glu to Lys.
Hemoglobin C trait:
A. Peripheral smear.
B. Clinical severity.
A. Target cells.
B. Generally asymptomatic.
Hemoglobin C disease: Hemoglobins.
Hb C: 90%.
Hb F: 7%.
Hb A: 0%.
Hb A₂: 3%.
Hemoglobin C disease:
A. Peripheral smear.
B. Clinical severity.
A. Target cells; rod-shaped or hexagonal crystals.
B. Mild hemolytic anemia; splenomegaly.
Hemoglobin E: Mutation.
β₂₆ Glu to Lys.
Hemoglobin E:
A. Peripheral smear and CBC.
B. Clinical severity.
A. Target cells, thalassemic indices.
B. Mild anemia unless there is concurrent β thalassemia.
Hemoglobins D and G:
A. Clinical severity.
B. Defect.
A. Asymptomatic.
B. Hb D: Defect in β chain; Hb G: Defect in α chain.
Hemoglobins D and G:
A. Gel electrophoresis.
B. Identification.
A. Both run with Hb S on alkaline gel but not on citrate gel.
B. Negative metabisulfite, dithionate tests.
Hemoglobin Lepore: Epidemiology.
Found in Italy and other Mediterranean lands.
Hemoglobin Lepore: Identification (4).
Makes up 15% of total hemoglobin.
Thalassemic indices.
Runs with Hb S on alkaline gel.
Negative metabisulfite, dithionate tests.
Hemoglobin Lepore: Mutation.
Fusion of genes for δ and β chains.
Hemoglobin Constant Spring:
A. Epidemiology.
B. CBC.
A. More common in Southeast Asia.
B. Thalassemic indices.
Hemoglobin Constant Spring: Mutation.
Loss of stop codon in the gene for the α chain results in an abnormally long transcript.
pH of ___ gel.
A. cellulose-acetate
B. citrate
A. 8.6.
B. 6.2.
Cellulose-acetate gel: Layout.
+
A
F
S D G Lepore
A₂ C E O
(carbonic anhydrase)
(origin)
−
Citrate gel: Layout.
+
C
S
(origin)
A D A₂ G E O
F
−
Causes of shift of the hemoglobin-oxygen dissociation curve to the right.
Acidosis.
Hyperthermia.
Increased 2,3-DPG.
Hemoglobin with low affinity for oxygen.
Clinical features of a hemoglobin with ___ affinity for oxygen.
A. low
B. high
A. Anemia, cyanosis.
B. Erythrocytosis.
Unstable hemoglobins:
A. Definition.
B. Peripheral smear.
C. Examples.
A. Easily oxidized.
B. Heinz bodies, bite cells.
C. Hb Köln, Hb Hammersmith, Hb Ann Arbor.
Methemoglobin:
A. Synonym.
B. Definition.
C. Importance.
A. Hemiglobin.
B. Hemoglobin that contains ferric iron.
C. Cannot carry oxygen.
Methemoglobin: Amount in normal blood.
No more than 1.5%.
Methemoglobin: Inherited causes of abnormal levels (2).
Deficiency of methemoglobin reductase.
Abnormal hemoglobin that resists the reductase.
Methemoglobin: Acquired causes of abnormal levels (4).
Nitrites.
Phenacetin.
Quinones.
Sulfonamides.
Methemoglobin: Level at which cyanosis appears.
At 1.5 g/dL or about 10% of total hemoglobin.
Methemoglobin:
A. Detection.
B. Treatment.
A. Co-oximetry.
B. Methylene blue.
Sulfhemoglobin: Peripheral smear.
Heinz bodies.
Sulfhemoglobin:
A. Amount in normal blood.
B. Causes of increase.
A. No more than 1%.
B. Sulfonamides; bacteremia with Clostridium perfringens.
Sulfhemoglobin: Level at which cyanosis appears.
At 0.5 g/dL or about 3-4% of total hemoglobin.
Tetramers in thalassemia:
A. Significance.
B. In α thalassemia.
C. In β thalassemia.
A. May precipitate and shorten the life span of the red cell.
B. β₄, γ₄.
C. α₄.
Thalassemia: Formula for distinguishing from iron-deficiency anemia.
MCV ÷ RBC
− Less than 13: Probable thalassemia.
− More than 15: Probable iron deficiency.
Thalassemia: Peripheral smear (3).
Target cells.
Microcytosis.
Basophilic stippling.
β-Thalassemia:
A. Chromosome.
B. Type of mutation.
A. 11.
B. Point mutation.
β-Thalassemia: Alleles.
β+: Some β chains are produced.
β⁰: No β chains.
β-Thalassemia: Age at presentation.
6 to 9 months.
β-Thalassemia: Hemoglobins in homozygotes.
Hb F: 50-95%.
Hb A: Very low or absent.
Hb A₂: Normal or increased.
β-Thalassemia: Difference between major and intermedia.
Major: Transfusion dependent.
δβ-Thalassemia: Definition.
Mutation involving the δ and β genes.
δβ-Thalassemia: Hemoglobins.
Hb F: 5-20%.
Hb A: Decreased.
Hb A₂: Normal.
δβ-Thalassemia vs. Hb Lepore on hemoglobin electrophoresis.
Hb Lepore runs with Hb S on alkaline gel and makes up no more than 15% of total hemoglobin.
α-Thalassemia:
A. Chromosome.
B. Typical mutation.
A. 16.
B. Large deletion.
α-Thalassemia 1 haplotype:
A. Synonym.
B. Definition.
C. Epidemiology.
A. α⁰.
B. Deletion of both genes from the chromosome.
C. Asians.
α-Thalassemia 2 haplotype:
A. Synonym.
B. Definition.
C. Epidemiology.
A. α+.
B. Deletion of one gene from the chromosome.
C. Blacks.
α-Thalassemia, silent carrier:
A. Genotype.
B. CBC and peripheral smear.
A. -α/αα.
B. Normal.
α-Thalassemia trait:
A. Genotype.
B. CBC and peripheral smear.
A. -α/-α or –/αα.
B. Thalassemia indices and morphology.
Hemoglobin H disease:
A. Genotype.
B. CBC and peripheral smear.
C. Abnormal hemoglobin.
A. –/-α or –/αCSα.
B. Thalassemic indices and morphology; Heinz bodies.
C. Hb H = β₄.
Hemoglobin Barts disease:
A. Genotype.
B. Peripheral smear.
C. Abnormal hemoglobin.
A. –/–.
B. Hypochromia; nucleated RBCs.
C. Hb Barts = γ₄.
α-Thalassemia: Migration of abnormal hemoglobins.
Both Hb H and Hb Barts are fast migrators.
α-Thalassemia: Age at presentation.
Birth.
α-Thalassemia: Population at risk for Hb H disease and Hb Barts disease.
Asians, because of the relative frequency of the α⁰ haplotype.
How ___-thalassemia affects the concentration of Hb S (or Hb C, etc.).
A. α.
B. β.
A. Decrease.
B. Increase.
Hemoglobin F: Normal percentage at different ages (4).
Birth: 30-40%.
6 months: Less than 10%.
1 years: Less than 5%.
2 years: Less than 1%.
Hereditary persistence of hemoglobin F: Recognition.
Hereditary: Pancellular.
Acquired: Heterocellular.
Combined sickle-cell disease and hereditary persistence of hemoglobin F:
A. Frequency.
B. Percentage of Hb F.
C. Clinical features.
A. About 1 in 100 with sickle-cell disease.
B. About 25%.
C. No anemia, no vaso-occlusive episodes.
Combined sickle-cell disease and hereditary persistence of hemoglobin F vs. combined sickle-cell disease and β-thalassemia.
On electrophoresis, both diseases show a mixture of Hb S, Hb F, and Hb A₂.
Combined sickle-cell disease and β-thalassemia is clinically more severe.
Acquired causes of elevated hemoglobin F (6).
Anemias: Megaloblastic, aplastic, Fanconi’s.
Leukemias: JMML, acute erythrocytic.
Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria.
Warm autoimmune hemolytic anemia:
A. Specificity of antibody.
B. Detection.
A. Broad reactivity with Rh antigens.
B. Positive DAT with anti-IgG or polyspecific reagent; all cell react in the AHG phase.
Warm autoimmune hemolytic anemia:
A. Location of hemolysis.
B. Peripheral smear.
A. Extravascular.
B. Spherocytes.
Warm autoimmune hemolytic anemia: Causes (5).
Idiopathic.
Thymoma.
Collagen-vascular diseases.
Hematological malignancy (esp. CLL/SLL).
Inherited immunodeficiencies.
Cold-agglutinin disease:
A. Isotype of antibody.
B. Detection.
A. IgM.
B. Positive DAT with anti-C3; cells react in the IS and AHG phases.
Cold-agglutinin disease: Specificities of the antibody.
Anti-I, anti-i, anti-H, anti-IH, anti-Pr.
Cold-agglutinin disease: Causes.
Anti-I: Mycoplasma pneumoniae, lymphoma.
Anti-i: Infectious mononucleosis.
Cold-agglutinin disease: How to determine the specificity of the antibody.
Reaction with (type O) cord blood but not with adult blood: Anti-i.
Reaction with adult blood but not with cord blood: Anti-I.
Reaction with type O blood only: Anti-H.
Reaction with type O and type A₂ blood only: Anti-IH.
Reaction with all types of blood only: Anti-Pr.
Cold agglutinins: Other tests for specificity of the antibody.
Anti-H and anti-IH are neutralized by saliva.
Pr antigen is destroyed by enzymes.
Cold agglutinins: Characteristics of benign ones (2).
Reactivity at 4-22⁰C (best at 4⁰C).
Titer at 4⁰C is less than 1 : 64.
Cold agglutinins: Characteristics of pathologic ones (3).
Broad thermal amplitude.
Titer at 4⁰C is more than 1 : 1000.
Spontaneous agglutination at room temperature.
Cold agglutinins: Characteristics of idiopathic ones (3).
Chronic.
Monoclonal IgM.
Often affects elderly patients.
Paroxysmal cold hemoglobinuria: Clinical associations (2).
Classic: Adult with syphilis.
Modern: Child with viral infection or otitis media.
Paroxysmal cold hemoglobinuria:
A. Peripheral smear.
B. Treatment.
A. Neutrophils with ingested red cells (rare).
B. Keep the patient warm and transfuse warmed blood as needed.
Paroxysmal cold hemoglobinuria:
A. Antibody.
B. Detection of the antibody.
A. Cold-reacting IgG anti-P.
B. Blood kept at 4⁰C for 30 minutes and then at 37⁰C for 30 minutes undergoes hemolysis.
Cryoglobulins: How to isolate them.
Let drawn blood clot at 37⁰C; centrifuge it at 37⁰C.
Chill the serum at 4⁰C for 3 days; centrifuge it at 4⁰C.
Cryoglobulinemia:
A. Histology.
B. Peripheral smear.
A. Vasculitis.
B. Cloudy, pale purple aggregates of protein.
Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria:
A. Gene and chromosome.
B. Mutant protein.
C. LAP score.
A. PIG-A on the X chromosome.
B. GPI (glycosyl phosphatidylinositol) anchors.
C. Decreased.
Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria: Secondarily affected proteins (5).
CD59 (MIRL).
CD55 (DAF).
CD16, CD48.
Acetylcholinesterase.
Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria: Cause of the hemoglobinuria.
Loss of protection against complement-mediated destruction.
Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria: Clinical consequences (6).
Early: Chronic hemolytic anemia.
Later: Thrombocytopenia, leukopenia.
Possible: Aplastic anemia, AML, thrombosis.
Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria: Relation to aplastic anemia.
Either disease can lead to the other.
Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria: Diagnostic tests.
Insensitive: Sucrose lysis, acidified serum (Ham’s).
Preferred: Flow cytometry.
Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria: Principle of diagnosis by flow cytometry.
FLAER (fluorescent aerolysin derived from Aeromonas hydrophila) binds specifically to GPI anchors.
Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria: Typical flow-cytometric plots for
A. Neutrophils.
B. Monocytes.
C. Erythrocytes.
A. CD24 vs. FLAER.
B. CD14 vs. FLAER.
C. CD135 vs. CD59 or CD55.
Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria: Flow-cytometry classification of red blood cells.
Type I: Normal expression of CD59 (or CD55).
Type II: Partial expression.
Type III: No expression.
Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria: Use of flow cytometry to predict morbidity.
Hemolysis and thrombosis are likely if
− More than 20% of red blood cells are of type III and/or
− More than 50% of neutrophils are abnormal.
Iron-deficiency anemia:
A. Total iron-binding capacity.
B. Iron saturation.
C. Zinc protoporphyrin.
A,C. Increased.
B. Decreased.
Causes of increased soluble transferrin receptors in the serum (4).
Iron-deficiency anemia.
Hemolytic anemia.
Hemorrhage.
Polycythemia.
Causes of increased zinc protoporphyrin and free erythrocyte protoporphyrin (3).
Iron-deficiency anemia.
Lead toxicity.
Anemia of chronic disease.
Folate: Purpose.
Cofactor in the transfer of methyl groups, e.g. to dUMP to form dTMP for the synthesis of DNA.
Folate: Absorption.
Occurs in the proximal small intestine.
B₁₂: Purpose.
Essential in the conversion of methylfolate to active tetrahydrofolate.
B₁₂: Absorption.
Stomach: Carried by R factor.
Duodenum: Freed from R factor and bound to gastric-derived intrinsic factor.
Ileum: Absorbed by the enterocytes and bound to transcobalamins I and II for export into the bloodstream.
How can pancreatic insufficiency cause megaloblastic anemia?
Release of B₁₂ from R factor depends on pancreatic enzymes.
Drugs that can cause megaloblastic anemia.
Methotrexate: Folate deficiency.
Phenytoin: B₁₂ deficiency.
Folate deficiency: Laboratory findings (5).
Increased LDH.
Increased unconjugated bilirubin.
Increased forminoglutamic acid.
Decreased serum folate.
Decreased red-cell folate.
B₁₂ deficiency: Laboratory findings (6).
Increased LDH.
Increased unconjugated bilirubin.
Increased urinary methylmalonic acid.
Decreased red-cell folate (in ⅔ of cases).
Normal serum folate.
Decreased serum B₁₂.
Serum B₁₂: Causes of spurious abnormalities.
Falsely low serum B₁₂: HIV infection.
Falsely high: Liver disease, renal insufficiency, myeloproliferative neoplasms.
B₁₂ deficiency: Other laboratory findings (2).
Even mild B₁₂ deficiency causes increased
− Serum methylmalonic acid.
− Serum homocysteine.
Assay for antibodies to intrinsic factor.
Sensitive and specific for pernicious anemia.
Anemia of chronic disease:
A. Serum iron.
B. Total iron-binding capacity.
C. Percent saturation of transferrin.
D. Soluble transferrin receptors.
A. Low or normal.
B. Low or normal (?)
C. Greater than 15%.
D. Normal.
Sideroblastic anemia: Peripheral smear (4).
Hypochromia.
Microcytosis, normocytosis, or macrocytosis.
Biphasic population of red cells.
Pappenheimer bodies.
Sideroblastic anemia: Bone marrow (3).
Erythroid hyperplasia.
Increased iron stores.
Ringed sideroblasts.
Sideroblastic anemia: Laboratory findings (3).
Increased
− Serum iron.
− Ferritin.
− Percent saturation of transferrin.
Acquired sideroblastic anemia: Causes (5).
Myelodysplasia.
Irradiation.
Copper deficiency.
Alcohol abuse.
Drugs: isoniazid, chloramphenicol, chemotherapy.
Inherited sideroblastic anemia:
A. Most common gene and its location.
B. Treatment.
A. ALAS2 on the X chromosome.
B. Large doses of pyridoxine (B₆).
Pearson’s syndrome:
A. Clinical manifestations.
B. Mutation.
A. Sideroblastic anemia, pancreatic insufficiency.
B. Microdeletion in mitochondrial DNA.
Congenital dyserythropoietic anemia, type II:
A. Synonym.
B. Inheritance.
A. Hereditary erythroid multinucleation with positive acidified serum.
B. Autosomal recessive.
Congenital dyserythropoietic anemia, type II: Morphology.
Dysplastic erythroid precursors with frequent internuclear bridges.
Congenital dyserythropoietic anemias: Antigen.
Overexpression of the i antigen.
Fanconi’s anemia:
A. Inheritance.
B. Hematological features (3).
A. Autosomal recessive.
B. Aplastic anemia, MDS, AML (esp. monocytic or monoblastic),
Fanconi’s anemia: Harbingers of pancytopenia.
Macrocytic anemia.
Thrombocytopenia.
Fanconi’s anemia: Other manifestations (6).
Short stature.
Café-au-lait spots.
Renal abnormalities.
Elevated hemoglobin F.
Absent thumbs or radii.
Microcephaly.
Fanconi’s anemia: Genes.
FANCA.
FANCC.
FANCG.
Fanconi’s anemia: Epidemiology.
Highest incidence is in white South Africans.
Fanconi’s anemia: Diagnosis.
Expose cultured cells to DNA-cross-linking agents (e.g. mitomycin C, cisplatin, diepoxybutane) and look for chromosomal breakage.
Diamond-Blackfan syndrome:
A. Synonym.
B. Bone marrow.
C. Other abnormalities of red cells.
A. Congenital pure red-cell aplasia.
B. Few or no erythroid precursors.
C. Increased expression of i antigen, increased Hb F, increased adenosine deaminase.
Diamond-Blackfan syndrome:
A. Inheritance.
B. Gene and its location.
A. Autosomal dominant.
B. DBA1 (RPS19) on 19q13.2.
β-Thalassemia: Hemoglobins in heterozygotes.
Hb A: Decreased.
Hb F: Increased.
Hb A₂: Increased unless there is also iron deficiency.
Hereditary spherocytosis:
A. Inheritance.
B. Molecular defect.
A. Autosomal dominant.
B. Ankyrin (ANK1 gene).
Diamond-Blackfan syndrome: Non-hematological abnormalities (3).
Short stature.
Anomalies of thumbs or radii.
Cardiac septal defects.
Diamond-Blackfan syndrome: Treatment.
Corticosteroids help 75% of children.
Acquired pure red-cell aplasia: Causes (5).
Thymoma.
Collagen-vascular diseases.
Drugs.
Parvovirus B19.
Large-granular-lymphocytic leukemias.
Transient erythrocytopenia of childhood: Clinical features.
Self-limited.
Affects previously healthy children aged 1 to 4 years.
Congenital amegakaryocytic thrombocytopenia:
A. Bone marrow.
B. Course.
A. No megakaryocytes.
B. Thrombocytopenia progressing to pancytopenia by 10 years of age.
Congenital amegakaryocytic thrombocytopenia:
A. Inheritance.
B. Gene and its location.
A. Autosomal recessive.
B. MPL (thrombopoietin receptor) on 1p34.
Kostmann’s syndrome:
A. Course.
B. Inheritance.
C. Gene and its location.
A. Neutropenia, possibly manifesting as omphalitis, progressing to pancytopenia or to leukemia.
B. Autosomal dominant.
C. ELA2 (neutrophil elastase) on 19p13.
Cyclic neutropenia: Synonym.
Benign familial neutropenia.
Cyclic neutropenia:
A. Clinical presentation.
B. Neutrophil count.
C. Affected gene and its location.
A. Fever, ulcers, and other inflammations during periods of neutropenia.
B. Ranges from nil to normal over about 21 days.
C. ELA2 on 19p13.
Dyskeratosis congenita: Clinical features (6).
Aplastic anemia.
Reticulated skin pigmentation.
Nail dystrophy.
Oral leukoplakia.
Lacrimal-duct atresia.
Testicular atrophy.
Dyskeratosis congenita: Gene and its location.
DKC1 on Xq28.
Shwachman-Diamond syndrome: Clinical features (5).
Aplastic anemia.
Pancreatic exocrine insufficiency.
Short stature.
Severe combined immunodeficiency.
Reticular dysgenesis.
Shwachman-Diamond syndrome:
A. Inheritance.
B. Gene and its location.
A. Autosomal recessive.
B. SBDS on 7q11.
Percentage of cases of plastic anemia caused by ___.
A. drugs or toxins
B. viral hepatitis
C. unknown agent
A. 10%.
B. 5%.
C. 70%.
Aplastic anemia: Mimics (5).
Hairy-cell leukemia.
Hypoplastic MDS.
Hypoplastic AML.
Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria.
Leukemia of T-cytotoxic LGLs.
Intravascular hemolysis: Causes (6).
Complement.
Oxidative stress.
Microangiopathic hemolytic anemia.
Mechanical destruction.
Infections.
Toxins.
Extravascular hemolysis: Causes.
Anything not included among the causes of intravascular hemolysis.
Intravascular hemolysis: Laboratory findings (5).
Schistocytes.
Increased LDH.
Decreased haptoglobin.
Increased free hemoglobin.
Hemosiderinuria.
Extravascular hemolysis: Laboratory findings (5).
Microspherocytes.
Increased LDH.
Increased unconjugated bilirubin.
Normal or decreased haptoglobin.
Increased urinary urobilinogen.
Acanthocyte:
A. Synonym.
B. Morphology.
C. Associations (3).
A. Spur cell.
B. Projections have blunt, bulbous ends and are unevenly distributed.
C. Liver disease, abetalipoproteinemia, McLeod phenotype.
Basophilic stippling: Composition.
Clumps of ribosomes (RNA).
Basophilic stippling: Associations (7).
Thalassemia.
Hemolytic anemia.
Arsenic toxicity.
Lead toxicity.
Megaloblastic anemia.
Alcohol abuse.
5’-Nucleotidase deficiency.
Teardrop cells: Clinical associations (3).
Myelophthisis.
Megaloblastic anemia.
Thalassemia.
Echinocyte:
A. Synonym.
B. Morphology.
A. Burr cell.
B. Projections are sharp and evenly distributed.
Echinocyte: Associations (5).
Gastric ulcer.
Uremia.
Pyruvate kinase deficiency.
Splenectomy.
Artifact.
Elliptocyte: Morphology.
Red cell is twice as long as it is wide.
Elliptocyte: Associations (4).
Deficiency of folate or of B₁₂.
Iron deficiency.
Myelodysplasia.
Elliptocytosis, hereditary.
Howell-Jolly body: Composition.
DNA (nuclear remnant).
Cabot ring:
A. Morphology.
B. Association.
A. Pink or red-purple ring or figure-of-eight.
B. Disorders of erythropoiesis.
Macrocytosis: Associations.
Round macrocytosis: Liver disease, hypothyroidism, myelodysplasia.
Oval macrocytosis: Deficiency of folate or of B₁₂.
Pappenheimer bodies:
A. Morphology.
B. Composition.
C. Associations (3).
A. Larger and more irregular than basophilic stippling.
B. Iron-containing mitochondria.
C. Sideroblastic anemia, asplenia, myelodysplasia.
Rouleaux: Causes.
Monoclonal protein.
Marked hyperfibrinogenemia.
Schistocytes in healthy adults.
A. Frequency.
B. As a percentage of RBCs.
A. 58%.
B. 0.05%.
Stomatocyte: Associations (5).
Stomatocytosis, hereditary.
Alcohol abuse.
Rh-null phenotype.
Phenytoin.
Artifact.
Target cells: Associations (3).
Thalassemia.
Abnormal hemoglobins such as Hb C, Hb E.
Liver disease.
Workup of anemia: First step.
Determine whether the anemia is
− Hyperregenerative (high reticulocyte count).
− Hyporegenerative (low or normal reticulocyte count).
Hyperregenerative normocytic anemia: Differential diagnosis.
Hemorrhage vs. hemolysis.
Hyporegenerative normocytic anemia: Workup.
Step 1. Is there bi- or pancytopenia?
− Yes: MDS vs. marrow infiltration vs. aplastic anemia.
− No: Step 2.
Step 2. Is the cause anemia of chronic disease; renal failure; early deficiency of Fe, folate, or B₁₂; drugs?
− No: MDS vs. pure red-cell aplasia vs. PNH.
Hyperregenerative microcytic anemia: Workup.
Step 1. Are there spherocytes?
− Yes: Step 2.
− No: Inherited defect in membrane or enzyme.
Step 2: Is the DAT positive?
− Yes: Immune-mediated hemolytic anemia.
− No: Hereditary spherocytosis.
Hyporegenerative microcytic anemia: Workup.
Step 1: Obtain iron studies (serum iron, ferritin, percent saturation of transferrin).
− Low: Iron-deficiency anemia.
− Normal: Step 2.
Step 2: Is hemoglobin electrophoresis abnormal (e.g. Hb C, Hb E, thalassemia)?
− No: Anemia of chronic disease or sideroblastic anemia.
Hyperregenerative macrocytic anemia: Differential diagnosis.
Hemorrhage vs. hemolysis.
Hyporegenerative macrocytic anemia: Workup
Step 1. Is the MCV greater than 115, or are there hyperlobate neutrophils?
− Yes: Step 2.
− No: Step 3.
Step 2. Studies of B₁₂ and folate.
− Low: Deficiency of B₁₂ and folate.
− Normal: Step 3.
Step 3. Is the cause hypothyroidism, liver disease, alcohol abuse, drugs (MTX, thioguanines, antiretrovirals), early deficiency of B₁₂ and folate, or Down’s syndrome?
− No: Probable MDS.
Paraneoplastic erythrocytosis:
A. Solid neoplasms that cause it (4).
B. Mechanism.
A. HCC, RCC, epithelioid hemangioblastoma, uterine leiomyoma.
B. Secretion of erythropoietin.
Reactive neutrophilia: Usual upper limit.
30,000 per μL.
Reactive neutrophilia: Pharmacological causes (3).
Corticosteroids.
GM-CSF.
Epinephrine.
Reactive neutrophilia: Physiologic causes.
Exercise.
Pregnancy.
Reactive lymphocytosis: Leading causes.
Viral infection.
Toxoplasmosis.
Transient stress lymphocytosis:
A. Proliferating cells.
B. Morphology of predominant cell type.
A. B cells, T cells, NK cells.
B. Small, eccentric, indented nucleus; cytoplasm may contain granules.
Persistent polyclonal B lymphocytosis:
A. Typical patient.
B. Typical HLA type.
A. Young female smoker.
B. DR7.
Persistent polyclonal B lymphocytosis:
A. Morphology.
B. Additional laboratory finding.
A. Small, eccentric, indented or bilobate nucleus; much pale cytoplasm.
B. Polyclonal hypergammaglobulinemia.
Reider cells:
A. Morphology.
B. Association.
A. Mature small lymphocytes with cleft nuclei.
B. Reactive lymphocytosis in children (classically associated with pertussis).
Age at which absolute lymphocytosis must be considered suspicious for neoplasm.
40 years and older.
Reactive monocytosis: Causes (4).
Chronic infections (e.g. tuberculosis, listeriosis).
Collagen-vascular diseases.
Recovery from neutropenia.
Solid tumors.
Leading cause of reactive eosinophilia:
A. In the United States.
B. Worldwide.
A. Allergy.
B. Helminths.
Paraneoplastic reactive eosinophilia: Causes (3).
Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
T-cell neoplasms.
Colonic carcinoma.
Reactive eosinophilia: Systemic inflammatory causes.
Eosinophilic cellulitis (Wells’ syndrome).
Eosinophilic fasciitis (Shulman’s syndrome).
Eosinophilic pneumonia (Löffler’s syndrome).
Eosinophilic vasculitis (Churg-Strauss syndrome).
Reactive eosinophilia: Other causes (2).
Collagen-vascular diseases.
Inflammatory bowel disease.
Neutropenia:
A. Mechanisms (3).
B. Leading cause.
A. Increased destruction, decreased production, splenic sequestration.
B. Drugs.
Neutropenia: Causative drugs (9).
Methimazole.
Carbimazole.
Propylthiouracil.
Penicillins.
Chloramphenicol.
Sulfasalazine.
Carbamazepine.
Valproic acid.
Procainamide.
Autoimmune neutropenia:
A. Causes (3).
B. Syndrome.
A. SLE or rheumatoid arthritis in adults; usually idiopathic in children.
B. Felty’s syndrome: Rheumatoid arthritis, neutropenia, splenomegaly.
Neutropenia: Infectious causes (5).
Typhoid fever.
Tularemia.
Brucellosis.
Rickettsial infections.
Overwhelming sepsis in infants and in the elderly.
Neutropenia: Causes of decreased production (3).
Drugs.
Inherited neutropenias.
Leukemias of large granular lymphocytes.
Lymphopenia:
A. Autoimmune cause.
B. Infectious causes.
A. Systemic lupus erythematosus.
B. HIV, SARS.
Lymphopenia: Causative drugs.
Steroids.
Rituximab.
Lymphopenia: Congenital causes (3).
Bruton’s X-linked agammaglobulinemia.
Combined variable immunodeficiency.
DiGeorge’s syndrome.
Deficiency of which type of lymphocyte is most likely to affect the total lymphocyte count?
The T lymphocyte.
Monocytopenia: Causes (3).
Hairy-cell leukemia.
Steroids.
Onset of neutropenia.
Pseudothrombocytopenia:
A. Cause.
B. Frequency.
C. Resolution.
A. EDTA.
B. 1% of hospitalized patients.
C. Collect a new sample in citrate or in acid-citrate-dextrose.
Thrombocytopenia: Causes of large or variably sized platelets (3).
May-Hegglin anomaly.
Bernard-Soulier syndrome.
ITP.
Thrombocytopenia: Meaning of schistocytes.
Microangiopathic hemolytic anemia: TTP, HUS, DIC, or HELLP.
Thrombocytopenia: Inherited causes with giant platelets (6).
May-Hegglin anomaly and other MYH9 syndromes.
Bernard-Soulier syndrome.
Gray-platelet syndrome.
DiGeorge’s syndrome.
Microthrombocytopenias (Mediterranean and X-linked).
Thrombocytopenia: Inherited causes with small platelets.
Wiscott-Aldrich syndrome.
Congenital amegakaryocytic thrombocytopenia.
Thrombocytopenia−absent radii syndrome.
Glanzmann’s thrombasthenia.
Thrombocytopenia: Causes in neonates (5).
Aneuploidies: +13, +18, +21, -X.
Maternal ITP.
Inherited causes.
Neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia.
TORCH infections.
Thrombocytopenia in children:
A. Leading cause and how to recognize it.
B. How to recognize a different cause.
A. ITP responds rapidly to steroids.
B. Inherited thrombocytopenias respond poorly to steroids but well to platelet transfusions.
Thrombocytopenia: Main causes in adults.
Drugs.
ITP.
Splenic sequestration.
Thrombocytopenia: Causative drugs (6).
Antibiotics.
Antiarrhythmics.
Alcohol.
Abciximab.
Heparin.
Thiazides.
Thrombocytopenia: How quinidine may cause it.
Induction of antibodies against GP IX.
Thrombocytopenia: Targets of antibodies in ITP (4).
GP IIIa.
GP IIb.
GP Ib.
GP V.
Thrombocytopenia: Principles of diagnosis of ITP (3).
Usually a diagnosis of exclusion.
Best test is trial of immunomodulation.
Tests for anti-platelet antibodies are nonspecific and usually not readily available.
Thrombocytopenia: ___ causes in adults.
A. Infectious
B. Neoplastic
C. Autoimmune
A. HIV, HCV, H. pylori.
B. MDS, B-cell neoplasms.
C. Antiphospholipid syndrome.
Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura: Pentad.
Fever.
Thrombocytopenia.
Microangiopathic hemolytic anemia.
Neurological dysfunction.
Renal dysfunction.
Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura:
A. Peripheral smear.
B. Laboratory finding.
A. Many schistocytes.
B. Very high serum LDH.
Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura: Causes of sporadic form (4).
Idiopathic.
Pregnancy.
Ticlopidine.
Antibodies to ADAMTS-13.
Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura: Cause of familial form.
Inherited deficiency of ADAMTS-13.
Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura: Treatment.
Daily plasmapheresis with FFP.
Thrombocytopenia: Workup.
Peripheral smear: Platelet clumps, schistocytes, leukemic cells, variably (ITP) or abnormally sized platelets.
Laboratory studies: Coagulation, renal function.
History: Radiation, chemotherapy, drugs.
Physical examination: Spleen, signs of inherited syndromes.
Cause unknown, even after examination of bone marrow: Peripheral destruction, collagen-vascular diseases, ITP.
Thrombocytosis: Causes in children (4).
Iron deficiency.
Infections.
Kawasaki’s syndrome.
ALL.
Thrombocytosis: Causes in adults (6).
Systemic infection.
Iron deficiency.
Splenectomy.
Malignancy.
CML.
ET.
Thrombocytosis: Likelihood of myeloproliferative neoplasm at different platelet counts.
600,000: 70%.
1,000,000: 80%.
2,000,000: 95%.
Lymphomas of B cells that are ___ likely to involve the bone marrow.
A. most (3)
B. least (3)
C. moderately
A. Mantle-cell lymphoma, follicular lymphoma, DLBCL.
B. Marginal-zone lymphoma, Burkitt’s lymphoma.
C. Lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma.
Typical pattern of infiltration of marrow by ___.
A. follicular lymphoma
B. diffuse large B-cell lymphoma
C. CLL/SLL
A. Paratrabecular.
B. Diffuse.
C. Non-paratrabecular in any pattern.
Typical pattern of infiltration of marrow by ___.
A. mantle-cell lymphoma
B. lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma
A. Nodular.
B. Interstitial.
Typical pattern of infiltration of marrow by ___.
A. marginal-zone lymphoma
B. Burkitt’s lymphoma
A. Nodular.
B. Diffuse.
Lymphomas of B cells that are ___ likely to involve the peripheral blood.
A. most (2)
B. least
C. moderately (2)
A. Mantle-cell lymphoma, Burkitt’s lymphoma.
B. Lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma.
C. Follicular lymphoma, DLBCL.
Lymphomas of B cells: Relation of grade to patient’s age.
High-grade lymphomas in younger patients.
Low-grade lymphomas in older patients.
Lymphomas of B cells that are more common in females (3).
Primary mediastinal lymphoma.
Follicular lymphoma.
Extranodal marginal-zone lymphoma.
Lymphomas of B cells that is most to run in families.
CLL/SLL.
Relation of CLL/SLL to ___.
A. autoimmunity.
B. immunodeficiency
A. 30% of patients have a positive DAT.
B. 30-50% of patients have hypogammaglobulinemia.
Prolymphocyte counts in leukemias of B cells.
11-55%: PLL/CLL.
Less: CLL.
More: Prolymphocytic leukemia.
CLL: Significance of ___.
A. smudge cells
B. lymphocyte count
A. Seen in EDTA but not in heparin.
B. Less than 5000/μL: Monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis.
CLL/SLL: The dim markers (3).
CD20.
sIg.
CD11c (weak and variable).
CLL/SLL and FISH:
A. Percentage of cases with normal result.
B. Most common abnormality.
C. Other abnormalities.
A. 20%.
B. del(13q14): More than 50%.
C. +12, -11q, -14q, -17p.
CLL/SLL: Transformations (3).
Most common: CLL/PLL or PLL.
Others: DLBCL, classic Hodgkin’s lymphoma.