Intro to Hemolytic Anemias - Harrington Flashcards
Jaundice is detectable in fair-skinned individuals at approximately what concentration in the blood?
What is scleral icterus? At what concentration can it be detected?
>2.5 mg/dL
Yellow discoloration of the sclera of the eyes. Detectable at >1.7 mg/dL
Which is more common: extravascular or intravascular pathologic hemolysis?
Extravascular
Name some sites of extravascular patholgic hemolysis and the describe the relative frequency of each.
Spleen >>>>> liver, bone marrow
Name some causes of acquired (extrinsic) hemolytic anemia
Autoimmune
Mechanical trauma
infection
chemical
splenic sequestration
Name some causes of inherited (intrinsic) hemolytic anemia
RBC membrane disorders
RBC enzyme deficiencies
Hemoglobinopathies
Define hemolytic anemia
RBC destruction resulting in loss of RBC mass and release of cellular contents
Extravascular or intravascular hemolysis?
- RBC membrane disorders
- RBC enzyme disorders
- Sickle cell anemia
- Thalassemia
- Autoimmune hemolysis
- PNH
- Mechanical
- Malaria
- extravascular
- both
- both
- extravascular
- both (extravascular = antibody, intravascular = complement)
- intravascular
- intravascular
- intravascular
What aspect of hemolysis is indicated by increased LDH, ASATS, or potassium?
Release of cellular contents
Haptoglobin is responsible for what?
Scavenge free Hb in the plasma
Is hemoglobinemia generally more pronounced in intravascular hemolysis or extravacular hemolysis?
intravascular
What is hemoglobinuria? What is the source of hemoglobinuria? Is it more common with intravascular or extravascular hemolysis?
What is hemosiderinuria? What is the source? Is it more common with intravscular or extravascular hemolysis?
Hemoglobin in the urine (hemoglobin not scavenged by haptoglobin. Mostly observed with intravascular hemolyis.
Hemosiderin in the urine, due to iron deposited in the renal epithelium and later shed in the urine. Mostly obserced with intravascular hemolysis.
Why is phlebotomy-induced hemolysis a problem for laboratory diagnostics?
Hemoglobin released by phlebotomy-induced hemolysis may interfere with spectrophotometry, leading to false results.
What (2) symptoms are associated with hemolysis, regardless of underlying etiology?
anemia
hyperbilirubinemia
Why is it important to have baseline hemoglobin values for patients being evaluated for anemia?
Severity of symptoms are closely related to actuity of hemolysis (i.e. the change in hemoglobin compared to baseline levels). Patients (especially children) with chronically-low baseline values can often tolerate levels otherwise considered ‘extreme’ for normal patients.
What signs/symptoms are expected for the following % hemolysis values?
- <20% (~>11g/dL)
- 20-30% (10-11g/dL)
- 30-40% (8-9g/dL)
- >40% (<8g/dL)
- Restlessness, few symptoms otherwise
- Anxiety, dyspnea with exertion, orthostatic hypotension, tachycardia with exertion
- Syncope, orthostatic hypotension, tachycardia at rest
- Confusion, shock
Is >5mg/dL indirect bilirubin usually observed in hemolytic anemia? Why?
No.
The liver usually compensates - indirect bilirubinemia generally only rises to >5mg/dL in the setting of liver dysfunction.
Name and describe (3) relatively rare complications of hemolytic anemia
- Pigment-induced kidney injury - heme pigments cause tubular obstruction, direct tubular necrosis, and vasoconstriction
- Folate deficiency - increase utilization of folate
- Thrombosis
Describe this:
What disease is this associated with?
“Chipmunk facies”
Skeletal changes due to expansion of the marrow
Associated with Thalassemia major
Describe microangiopathic hemolytic anemia
With what conditions is it generally associated?
Microvascular infarction causing: AKI, liver disease, abdominal pain, fever, mental status changes, thrombocytopenia, rash, hemorrhagic diarrhea. RBCs are destroyed as the pass through small vessels of the circulation.
TTP, HUS, DIC, malignant hypertension, CREST syndrome, vasculitis, HELLP syndrome
What cells are seen below? What would be different on lab tests?
Increased mean cell hemoglobin concentration