Hematology Flashcards
What is iron deficiency anemia?
-decrease MCV (microcystic), decrease MCH (hypo chromic), increase TIBC, decrease Ferritin (best test, low iron stores) target cells, pica, and nail spooning
What are the characteristics of iron deficiency anemia?
- MC cause of anemia and usually from blood loss
- in men: chronic occult bleeding; women = menses
- always consider GI bleed
- s/sx: fatigue, palpitations, SOB, weakness, HA, tinnitus, (nail), atrophic glossitis (tongue), angular cheilitis
- associated with pica and nail spooning (koilonychia)
How is iron deficiency anemia dx?
- microcytic/hypochromic anemia
- CBC: low reticulocyte count, high RDW
- iron studies: decreased serum iron, transferrin saturation; increase TIBV, decrease ferritin (Best test, low iron stores) < 15 diagnostic
- H&H: <13.5 & 39 for men, <12 and 37 for women
- peripheral smear: poikilocytes; rarely bone marrow examination; hemoccult if indicated
What is the tx for iron deficiency anemia?
FeSO4 325 mg TID
- ferrous sulfate 3 mg/kg once or twice daily between meals with juice (not milk)
- ferrous fumarate 100-200 mg/day in 2-3 doses; ferrous gluconate 3-6 mg/kg/day in 3 doses
- s/e: gray staining/teeth (liquid preps); GI upset/constipation
- six weeks to correct; six months to replete iron stores; rechecked blood counts every 3 months x 1 year
- packed red cells when Hgb < 8
- other causes decreased MCV: lead poisoning, sideroblastic anemia, basophilic stippling, thalassemia
What is anemia of chronic disease?
normal or decrease MCV, decrease TIBC, increase Ferritin (high iron stores), decrease serum erythropoietin
What are the dx studies for anemia of chronic disease?
normochromic/normocytic anemia initally
What is the tx for anemia of chronic disease?
erythropoietin and treat the underlying disease
What is aplastic anemia?
the only anemia where all three cell lines are decreased: decrease WBC, decrease RBC, decrease platelets - will have normal MCV and decrease Retic
-loss of blood cell precursors = hypoplasia of bone marrow, RBCs, WBCs, and platelets without reticulocytosis
What are the causes of aplastic anemia?
chemicals, drugs, radiation (ACE-I, sulfonamides, phenytoin, chemo, radiation)
What are the signs and symptoms of aplastic anemia?
severe pallor, weakness, petechiae, ecchymosis, mucosal bleeding, severe infection
What are the dx studies for aplastic anemia?
pancytopenia = decreased WBC, RBC, platelets; most accurate = bone marrow biopsy
What is the tx of aplastic anemia?
stop causative agent, RBC transfusion, bone marrow transplant, immunosuppressive agents
What is folate deficiency?
decrease folate, increase MCV (macro cystic anemia) - looks like B12 but no neurologic symptoms
What population does folate deficiency occur to?
alcoholics
What are the diagnostic studies for folate deficiency?
- megalobalstic anemia
- serum folic acid: low
- macro-ovalocytes and hypersegmented PMNs (pathognomonic)
- elevated homocysteine, normal MMA
What is the tx for folate deficiency?
- PO folic acid 1-5 mg/d (first line)
- Avoid ETOH and folic acid antagonists (Bactrim, phenytoin, sulfasalazine)
- green leafy vegetables, yeast, legumes, fruits, animal proteins
- prophylatic folic acid - pregnant/lactating women, contemplating pregnancy, sickle cell patient
What is G6PD deficiency?
after infection or medication (oxidative stress) in an African American male (x-linked) + Heinz bodies and bite cells on smear (damaged hemoglobin - G6PD protects RBC membrane
What are the characteristics of G6PD?
- hemolytic anemia
- african, middle eastern, S. asian population
- flare triggers: fava beans, antimalarials, sulfonamides
- diagnostic studies: Heinz bodies and bite cells on smear
What is the tx for G6PD?
- avoid potentially harmful drugs, monitor infection
- acute - blood transfusion
What is hemolytic anemia?
a disorder in which red blood cells are destroyed faster than they can be made
-the destruction of red blood cells is called hemolysis
What are the hemolytic anemias?
- autoimmune hemolytic anemia (+ direct Coombs test) - increase retic, increase LDH, decrease haptoglobin, and increase bilirubin (indirect)
- hereditary spherocytosis (+) osmotic fragility test, increase retic, increase LDH, decrease haptoglobin, and increase bilirubin (indirect) and the presence of spherocytes
- G6PD deficiency after infection or medication (oxidate stress) in an African American male (x-linked) + Heinz bodies and bite cells on a smear (damaged hemoglobin - G6PD protects RBC membrane)
- sickle cell anemia (very increase retic count + pain in African American male, hemoglobin electrophoresis: hemoglobin S, blood smear: sickled RBCs, Howell-Jolly bodies, target cells)
- thalassemia very decrease MCV (microcytic and hypo chromic) with a normal TIBC and ferritin, elevated iron and family history of blood cell disorder
What is sickle cell anemia?
African American, pain, family history of blood disorder, hemoglobin electrophoresis: Hemoglobin S, blood smear: sickled RBCs, Howell-jolly bodies, target cells
What are characteristics of sickle cell anemia?
- population: African American, presents in the 1st year of life
- hemolysis, jaundice, splenomegaly, priapism, poor healing, pain/swelling hands and feet, acute chest syndrome, pigmented gallstones
How is sickle cell anemia dx?
hemoglobin electrophoresis: hemoglobin S
-blood smear: sickled RBCs, Howell-Jolly bodies, target cells
What is the tx of sickle cell anemia?
hydroxyurea
-Vaccine: meningococcal, pneumococcal, H. influenzae, influenza
What is thalassemia?
family history of blood cell disorder, microcytic hypo chromic, elevated iron
What is beta thalassemia major?
- most severe, mediterranean descent, failure to thrive
- hemoglobin electrophoresis: hemoglobin A2 and F
- treatment: transfusion dependent, iron chelation (deferoxamine)
What is beta thalassemia trait?
- mild anemia, often misdiagnosed as iron deficient
- hemoglobin electrophoreis: Hemoglobin A2
What is alpha thalassemia?
- chinese and southeast Asians
- hemoglobin electrophoresis: hemoglobin H (H disease), hemoglobin Bart’s (hydros fetalis), hemoglobin A (trait)
What is Vitamin B12 deficiency?
increase MCV > 100 (macrocytic anemia), hyper segmented neutrophils and normal folate, decreased vibratory and position sense
What is the etiology of Vitamin B12?
pernicious anemia (antibody to intrinsic factor), gastrectomy, vegans -glossitis: smooth beefy, sore tongue, neurologic symptoms (poor balance, low proprioception)