Hemostasis and Related DIsorders Flashcards
What is hemostasis?
Why is it important?
- Literally, the “arrest” of bleeding
- Integrity of the blood vessel is necessary to carry blood to tissues.
-
Damage to the wall is repaired by hemostasis, which involves formation of a
thrombus (clot) at the site of vessel injury
Whatre the stages of hemostasis? Describe each stage.
Hemostasis occurs in two stages: primary and secondary.
- Primary hemostasis forms a weak platelet plug and is mediated by interaction between platelets and the vessel wall.
- Secondary hemostasis stabilizes the platelet plug and is mediated by the
- *coagulation cascade**.
What are the steps of primary hemostasis? Briefly describe each stage.
- Transient vasoconstriction of damaged vessel
- Platelet adhesion to the surface of disrupted vessel - vWF binds subendothelial collegen, platelets bind using GPIb receptor.
- platelet degranulation - ADP and TXA2
- Platelet aggregation - ADP helps make GPIIb/IIIa and allows platelets to aggregate via fibrinogen linker molecules.
**$ What is the first step in primary hemostasis? **
$$ How is this step mediated?
Step 1- Transient vasoconstriction of damaged vessel
Mediated by reflex neural stimulation and endothelin release from endothelial cells
Where does vWF come from?
How does it bind platelets?
vWF is derived from the Weibel-Palade bodies of endothelial cells (majority) and alpha-granules of platelets.
GPIb receptor
Name 2 major products produced by W-P bodies.
Weibel-Palade bodies of endothelial cells produce:
- vWf
- P-selectins (speed bumps)
$ How is TXA2 synthesized?
TXA2 is synthesized by platelet cyclooxygenase (COX) and released; promotes platelet aggregation
Describe the degranulation process of platelet and the mediators involved.
Adhesion induces shape change in platelets and degranulation with release of multiple mediators.
-
ADP is released from platelet dense granules; promotes exposure of GPIIb/
IIIa receptor on platelets –> aggregation occurs via a FIBRINOGEN linker molecule connecting the GPIIb/IIIa receptors! -
TXA2 is synthesized by platelet cyclooxygenase (COX) and released;
promotes platelet aggregation.
How do platelets aggregate?
What happens after aggregation?
- Platelets aggregate at the site of injury via GPIIb/IIIa using fibrinogen (from plasma) as a linking molecule –> results in formation of platelet plug
- Platelet plug is weak as shit –> coagulation cascade (secondary hemostasis) stabilizes it.
How can disorders of primary hemostasis be divided?
Usually due to abnormalities in platelets; divided into **quantitative (bleeding! Not enough platelets!) **or **qualitative **disorders
$ What is the primary feature of individuals with disorders of primary hemostasis?
Clinical features include mucosal and skin bleeding.
Symptoms of mucosal bleeding include epistaxis (most common overall symptom), hemoptysis, GI bleeding, hematuria, and menorrhagia.
Intracranial bleeding occurs with severe thrombocytopenia.
What are some signs of thrombocytopenia?
**petechiae (1-2 mm) **are a sign of thrombocytopenia and are not usually seen with qualitative disorders.
- ecchymoses (> 1 cm)
- purpura (> 3 mm)
- easy bruising
Qualitative disorders usually do not have petechiae
Useful laboratory studies in Disorders of primary hemostasis?
- Platelet count-normal 150-400 K/uL; < 50 K/uL leads to symptoms.
- Bleeding time-normal 2-7 minutes; prolonged with quantitative and qualitative platelet disorders
- Blood smear- used to assess number and size of platelets
- Bone marrow biopsy-used to assess megakaryocytes, which produce platelets
Most common cause of thrombocytopenia in children and adults?
**IMMUNE THROMBOCYTOPENIC PURPURA (ITP) - **Autoimmune production of IgG against platelet antigens (e.g., GPII b/IIIa)
IgG Autoantibodies are produced by plasma cells in the spleen.
Why does thrombocytopenia result in ITP?
Antibody-bound platelets are consumed** by **splenic macrophages, resulting in thrombocytopenia.
Types of ITP?
Divided into acute and chronic forms
-
Acute form arises in children weeks after a viral infection or immunization; selflimited,
usually resolving within weeks of presentation -
Chronic form arises in adults, usually women of childbearing age. May be_ primary or secondary (e.g., SLE)._ May cause short-lived thrombocytopenia in
offspring since antiplatelet IgG can cross the placenta.
Lab findings in ITP?
- Decreased platelet count, often < 50 K/uL
- Normal PT/PTT-Coagulation factors are not affected.
- Increased megakaryocytes on bone marrow biopsy
Treatment for ITP
Initial treatment is corticosteroids. Children respond well; adults may show early response, but often relapse.
- IVIG is used to raise the platelet count in symptomatic bleeding, but its effect is short -lived.
- Splenectomy eliminates the primary source of antibody and the site of platelet destruction (performed in refractory cases).
What is MICROANGIOPATHIC HEMOLYTIC ANEMIA?
How does it happen?
- Pathologic formation of platelet microthrombi in small vessels
- 2 Classic disorders: Seen in thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS)
- Platelets are consumed in the formation of microthrombi.
- RBCs are “sheared” as they cross microthrombi, resulting in hemolytic anemia with schistocytes
Holy SCHISTOCYTE! look at the 2 points ont he “helment cell”
$$$ What causes thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP)?
TTP is due to decreased ADAMTS13, an enzyme that normally cleaves vWF multimers into smaller monomers for eventual degradation
- Large, uncleaved multimers lead to abnormal platelet adhesion, resulting in microthrombi.
Why does ADAMTS13 usually decrease and cause TTP?
Decreased ADAMTS13 is usually due to an acquired autoantibody; most commonly seen in adult females
What causes HUS?
HUS is due to endothelial damage by drugs or infection.
- Classically seen in children with E coli Ol57:H7 dysentery, which results from exposure to undercooked beef
- E coli verotoxin damages endothelial cells resulting in platelet microthrombi in the kidney and brain.
- Verotoxin also causes a reduction in ADAMTS13!
Clinical findings (HUS and TTP)
- Skin and mucosal bleeding
- Microangiopathic hemolytic anemia
- Fever
- Renal insufficiency (more common in HUS)- Thrombi involve vessels of the kidney.
- CNS abnormalities (more common in TTP) - Thrombi involve vessels of the CNS.
Laboratory findings expected in microangiopathic hemolytic anemias (HUS and TTP) include:
What is the treatment for Microangiopathic hemolytic anemia?
- Thrombocytopenia with ↑ bleeding time
- $$$ 2. Normal PT/PTT (coagulation cascade is not activated)
- Anemia with schistocytes
- ↑ megakaryocytes on bone marrow biopsy
- Treatment involves **plasmapheresis (removes autoantibodies against ADAMTS13) **and corticosteroids (reduces production of autoantibodies against ADAMTS13), particularly in TTP.
Name the Qualitative platelet disorders
- Bernard-Soulier syndrome
- Glanzmann thrombasthenia
- Aspirin
- Uremia
Remember, you don’t see petechiae in qualitative disorders (do you ever see petechiae if you take too much aspirin? I didn’t think so)
Bernard-Soulier syndrome
Qualitative platelet disorder due to a genetic GPIb deficiency –> ** platelet adhesion is impaired**.
Blood smear shows mild thrombocytopenia (platelets don’t live as long so they get destroyed) with $enlarged platelets (more immature).
Glanzmann thrombasthenia
A qualitative platelet disorder in which there is a genetic GPIIb/IIIa deficiency –> platelet aggregation is impaired.
Remember: ADP causes the GpIIb/IIIa receptor to flip out and allow platelets to aggregate with fibrinogen linker molecules.
Aspirin impairs which aspect of hemostasis?
Aspirin irreversibly inactivates cyclooxygenase; lack of TXA2 impairs aggregation
Remember: it is thromboxane A2 from COX that calls in platelets and says “lets aggregate!”