Hematology & Oncology Flashcards
In Sideroblastic anaemia
Which stain should be applied to a blood film to show ring sideroblasts ?
Perl’s stain
Causes of Sideroblastic anaemia
Congenital cause:
-delta-aminolevulinate synthase-2 deficiency
Acquired causes
- MDS
- alcohol
- lead
- anti-TB medications
Treatment of Sideroblastic anaemia?
Management
- supportive
- treat any underlying cause
- pyridoxine may help
Vit B12 Absorbed in …….1…. After binding to …….2…. Which secreted from ……….3…….
- absorbed in the terminal ileum
- intrinsic factor
- secreted from parietal cells in the stomach
Causes of vitamin B12 deficiency
- pernicious anaemia: most common cause
- post gastrectomy
- vegan diet or a poor diet
- disorders/surgery of terminal ileum (site of absorption)
Crohn’s: either diease activity or following ileocaecal resection - metformin (rare)
Features of vitamin B12 deficiency?
- macrocytic anaemia
- sore tongue and mouth
- neurological symptoms
the dorsal column is usually affected first (joint position, vibration) prior to distal paraesthesia - neuropsychiatric symptoms: e.g. mood disturbances
Management of B12 deficiency
if no neurological involvement 1 mg of IM hydroxocobalamin 3 times each week for 2 weeks, then once every 3 months
if a patient is also deficient in folic acid then it is important to treat the B12 deficiency first to avoid precipitating subacute combined degeneration of the cord
Causes of Microcytic anaemia
- iron-deficiency anaemia
- thalassaemia*
- congenital sideroblastic anaemia
anaemia of chronic disease (more commonly a normocytic, normochromic picture) - lead poisoning
In normal haemoglobin level associated with a microcytosis. In patients not at risk of thalassaemia, this should raise the possibility of ……
polycythaemia rubra vera which may cause an iron-deficiency secondary to bleeding.
New onset microcytic anaemia in elderly patients should be urgently investigated to exclude……..
underlying malignancy
Megaloblastic causes of macrocytic anaemia
- vitamin B12 deficiency
- folate deficiency
- secondary to methotrexate
Normoblastic causes of macrocytic anaemia
- alcohol
- liver disease
- hypothyroidism
- pregnancy
- reticulocytosis
- myelodysplasia
- drugs: cytotoxics
Causes of normocytic anaemia include
- anaemia of chronic disease
- chronic kidney disease
- aplastic anaemia
- haemolytic anaemia
- acute blood loss
Vitamin B12 deficiency can be classified into the following three groups using serum vitamin B12 level:
Deficiency is likely: < ….
Deficiency is probable: ……
Deficiency is unlikely: >…..
- Deficiency is likely: <148 picomole/L
- Deficiency is probable: 148 to 258 picomole/L
- Deficiency is unlikely: >258 picomole/L
What is the mechanism of anemia of chronic disease?
Decreased availability of iron , relatively decreased level of erythropoietin and mild decreased in the lifespan of RBC
Increased in Hepcidin level leads to
Reduce release of iron from macrophages + dietary iron absorption
Hepcidin synthesized in
Liver
Hepcidin
1. High in ………
2. Low in …….
- Inflammation»_space;> decreased serum iron
- Hemochromatosis > low Hepcidin level»_space;> iron overload
Hepcidin inhibits iron transport by binding to …….
the iron export channel ferroportin
CKD anemia when GFR <
GFR < 35
Metabolic acidosis inhibits conversion of ferric iron (FE 3+) to absorbable form …..
Ferrous iron ( Fe2+) in the duodenum»_space;> reduced iron absorption
Patient on Erythropoietin or hemodialysis is require ? Which of the following
- Iv iron
Or - Oral iron
IV iron
Target Hb in CKD ?
Hb 10-12
In aplastic anemia bone marrow assessment is best made on …
Trephine biopsy, which often shows replacement of the normal cellular marrow by ( fatty marrow)
Hypocelullar bone marrow seen in …
Aplastic anemia
Causes of aplastic anemia
Idiopathic
Fanconi anemia
Dyskeratosis congenita
Drugs: cytotoxic, chloramphenicol, sulphonamides , phenytoin, GOLD
Infection: parvovirus, hepatitis
Radiation
Treatment of aplastic anemia
- Supportive: blood products, prevention and treatment of infection
- anti thymocyte and anti lymphocyte globulin
- immunosuppressive agents ( ciclosporin) may be given
- Allogeneic stem cell transplantation
anti thymocyte and anti lymphocyte globulin can cause
Serum sickness ( fever , rash , arthralgia )
Intravascular haemolysis: causes
- mismatched blood transfusion
- G6PD deficiency*
- red cell fragmentation: heart valves, TTP, DIC, HUS
- paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria
- cold autoimmune haemolytic anaemia
Extravascular haemolysis: causes
- haemoglobinopathies: sickle cell, thalassaemia
hereditary spherocytosis
haemolytic disease of newborn
warm autoimmune haemolytic anaemia
6 features of Fanconi anemia ?
- Autosomal recessive
- Aplastic anemia
- Risk of AML
- Neurological manifestation
- Skeletal abnormalities
- Skin pigmentation ( café au lait spots )
Normal types of Hb
- Adult HbA ( 2 alpha & 2 Beta) normal > 95%
- Adult HbA2 ( 2 alpha & 2 gamma ) normal < 3.5 %
- Fetal Hb ( 2 alpha & 2 delta ) normal < 1.5 %
- Alpha globulin gene are located on …..
- Beta globulin gene are located on …..
I. Chromosome 16
- Chromosome 11
Types of alpha thalassemia
- Silent carrier: single alpha gene mutation ( patient is Healthy)
- Alpha thalassemia trait ( minor ) 2 gene mutation ( Hb ~ 10 & microcytosis& normal Hb Electrophoresis )
- HbH: 3 gene mutation: severe anemia
- Alpha thalassemia major ( Hb barts or hydrops fetalis ) 4 gene mutation»_space;> death in utero.
Beta thalassemia trait
- Autosomal recessive
- Mild hypochromic , microcytic anemia
- Asymptomatic
- HbA2 raised > 3.5 %
Beta thalassemia features
- Microcytic anemia
- HbA2 & HbF raised
- HbA absent
Beta thalassemia management
Repeated transfusion
- this leads to iron overload»_space; organ failure
- iron chelation therapy is therefore important
Norma serum gastrin level excludes …..
Pernicious anemia
Causes of warm AIHA
idiopathic
autoimmune disease: e.g.systemic lupus erythematosus*
neoplasia
lymphoma
chronic lymphocytic leukaemia
drugs: e.g. methyldopa
*MAN CIL
Management of warm AIHA
treatment of any underlying disorder
steroids (+/- rituximab)are generally used first-line
The antibody in cold AIHA is usuallyIgMand causes haemolysis best at ….. degree C.
at 4 degree Celsius.
In which type of autoimmune hemolytic anema,Patients respond less well to steroids ?
Cold AIHA
Causes of cold AIHA
neoplasia: e.g. lymphoma
infections: e.g. mycoplasma, EBV
FFP indications
- PT ratio or activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) ratio > 1.5
- can be used prophylactically in patients undergoing invasive surgery where there is a risk of significant bleeding.
Cryoprecipitate contains ?
concentrated Factor VIII:C,
von Willebrand factor,
fibrinogen,
Factor XIII and
fibronectin, produced by further processing of Fresh FFP.
HbA1C higher then expected in
Due to increased RBC span
- B12 deficiency
- Folate deficiency
- IDA
- Splenectomy
neonatal jaundice is often seen
intravascular haemolysis
gallstones are common
splenomegaly may be present
Heinz bodieson blood films.Bite and blister cellsmay also be seen
G6PD deficiency
The diagnosis of G6pD deficiency is made by
G6PD enzyme assay
Should be checked 3 months after acute episode of hemolysis
Drugs causing hemolysis in G6pD deficiency
anti-malarials: primaquine
ciprofloxacin
sulph- group drugs: sulphonamides, sulphasalazine, sulfonylureas
Drugs safe in G6pD deficiency
penicillins
cephalosporins
macrolides
tetracyclines
trimethoprim
Diagnosis of hereditary spherocytosis by
EMA binging test and the cryohaemolysis test
for atypical presentations electrophoresis analysis of erythrocyte membranes is the method of choice
Management of hereditary spherocytosis
acute haemolytic crisis:
- treatment is generally supportive
- transfusion if necessary
longer term treatment:
- Folate replacement
- splenectomy
PNH diagnosis by
Flow cytometry of blood to detect low levels of CD 59 & 55
treatment of PNH
blood product replacement
anticoagulation
eculizumab, a monoclonal antibody directed against terminal protein C5, is currently being trialled and is showing promise in reducing intravascular haemolysis
stem cell transplantation
Blood film
In Hyposplenism e.g. post-splenectomy,coeliac disease
target cells
Howell-Jolly bodies
Pappenheimer bodies
siderotic granules
acanthocytes
Blood film in IDA
target cells
‘pencil’ poikilocytes
if combined with B12/folate deficiency a ‘dimorphic’ film occurs with mixed microcytic and macrocytic cells
Blood film in MF
‘tear-drop’ poikilocytes
Blood film in Intravascular haemolysis
Schistocytes
Blood film in megaloblastic anaemia
Hypersegmented neutrophils
Heinz bodies in
G6PD
Alpha thalassemia
Howell jolly bodies in
Hyposplenism
Burr cells ( echinocytes ) in
Uremia
Pyruvate kinase deficiency
Acanthocytes in
Abetalipoproteinemia
Basophilic stippling
Lead poisoning
Thalassaemia
Sideroblastic anaemia
Myelodysplasia
Spherocytes seen in
Hereditary spherocytosis
Autoimmune hemolytic anaemia
Target cells in
Sickle-cell/thalassaemia
Iron-deficiency anaemia
Hyposplenism
Liver disease
Schistocytes (‘helmet cells’) in
Intravascular haemolysis
Mechanical heart valve
DIC
McArdle’S Disease
Muscle pain
Cramps
Autosomal recessive
Deficiency of myophosphorylase
Low lactate
Exercise related
Drug-induced pancytopaenia
cytotoxics
antibiotics: trimethoprim, chloramphenicol
anti-rheumatoid: gold, penicillamine
carbimazole*
anti-epileptics: carbamazepine
sulphonylureas: tolbutamide
*causes both agranulocytosis and pancytopaenia
Features of TTP
fever
fluctuating neuro signs(microemboli)
microangiopathic haemolytic anaemia
thrombocytopenia
renal failure
Causes of TTP
post-infection e.g. urinary, gastrointestinal
pregnancy
drugs: ciclosporin, oral contraceptive pill, penicillin, clopidogrel, aciclovir
tumours
SLE
HIV
TTP MANAGEMENT
no antibiotics - may worsen outcome
plasma exchangeis the treatment of choice
steroids, immunosuppressants
vincristine