Hematopoietic and Lymphoid 1 Flashcards
What are the three “formed blood elements?”
- RBCs
- WBCs
- Platelets
What is the general definition of anemia?
Decreased oxygen transporting ability of the blood.
What are the clinical manifestations of anemia (5)?
- Pallor of the skin and mucous membranes
- Shortness of breath, fatigue
- Heart palpitations
- Short systolic murmurs
- Lethargy
Can you be anemic as a result of blood loss?
Yeah
Compare intrinsic (intracorpuscular) vs. extrinsic (extracorpuscular) hemolytic anemia.
Intrinsic (intracorpuscular) anemia is caused by factors inside the RBC (enzyme problems, Hb disorders) or defects in the RBC membrane.
Extrinsic (extracorpuscular) anemias are mainly acquired and caused by factors outside the red blood cell, e.g. hypersplenism, anti-RBC antibodies, drugs, infections, toxins and mechanical RBC destruction due to trauma.
How are anemias classified?
Based on underlying mechanism or RBC morphology
What are the three histologic classifications of anemia?
- Normocytic-normochromic
- Microcytic-hypochromic
- Macrocytic-hyperchromic
What type of anemia does iron deficiency cause?
microcytic-hypochromic
What type of anemia do the thalassemias cause?
microcytic-hypochromic
What type of anemia does chronic disease cause?
Most often normocytic-normochromic but sometimes microcytic-hypochromic (20-30%)
What type of anemia does blood loss cause?
normocytic-normochromic
What type of anemia does hemolytic anemia cause?
normocytic-normochromic
What type of anemia does B12 or folate deficiency cause?
Macrocytic-hyperchromic
What type of anemia does alcoholism cause?
Macrocytic-hyperchromic
What type of anemia causes hyperbilirubinemia, jaundice, and pigment gallstones?
hemolytic anemia
Ineffective hematopoiesis can cause iron overload, leading to ________ and _______ failure.
heart and endocrine failure
Severe forms of anemia can cause three things. Name them.
Growth retardation, skeletal abnormalities, cachexia
What are the two compensatory mechanisms seen in anemia?
Hyperplasia of erythroid precursors in bone marrow; extramedullary hematopoiesis in secondary hematopoietic organs (liver, spleen, lymph nodes).
What is the normal life span of a RBC?
120 days
What is hemolytic anemia?
Accelerated destruction of RBCs
What is reticulocytosis? What disease is it seen in?
It is increased circulating immature RBCs. Seen in hemolytic anemia.
What is hereditary spherocytosis?
A type of intracorpuscular hemolytic anemia
By what mechanism is hereditary spherocytosis inherited?
Autosomal dominant most of time, 25% are autosomal recessive
What molecular defects are involved in hereditary spherocytosis?
Mutations in structural RBC proteins (spectrin, ankyrin, band 3 protein) –> spherical RBCs - limited deformability, killed off in the spleen
How is hereditary spherocytosis treated surgically? What is the biggest risk associated with this?
Splenectomy. Risk for infections increases.
What are Howell-Jolly bodies and in what disease are they seen?
They are small dark nuclear remnants seen in spherical RBCs (spherocytes) in the case of hereditary spherocytosis. (Santa is JOLLY and SPHERICAL)
Describe the clinical course of hereditary spherocytosis.
RBC life span is 10-20 days. Anemia is moderate, splenomegaly, jaundice, pigment stones, systemic hemosiderosis (systemic hemosiderin accumulation from RBC breakdown)
What percentage of African-Americans are heterozygous for sickle cell anemia? What proportion have the disease?
8% are heterozygous, 1 in 600 have it
What mutation is involved in sickle cell anemia?
Single AA substitution in the B-globin chain (valine for glutamic acid)
What percentage of hemoglobin is of the HbS type in peeps who are heterozygous for sickle cell anemia?
40%