Normocytic anaemia

Question 1

What is normocytic anaemia?

Answer 1

Low Hb, normal MCV

Question 2

What causes normocytic anaemia?

Answer 2

> Congenital- sickle cell
Acquired- ACD e.g. kidney disease, cancer, rheumatoid arthritis and thyroiditis
Blood loss

Question 3

What are the signs and symptoms of normocytic anaemia?

Answer 3

> Fatigue
Pale
dizzy

Question 4

What is the epidemiology of normocytic anaemia?

Answer 4

Its prevalence increases with age, reaching 44 percent in men older than 85 years. Normocytic anemia is the most frequently encountered type of anemia. Anemia of chronic disease, the most common normocytic anemia, is found in 6 percent of adult patients hospitalized by family physicians

Question 5

What investigations do you do for normocytic anaemia?

Answer 5

> FBC - low Hb and normal MCV
Smear shows normal cells
Tests for other things

Question 6

How do you manage normocytic anaemia?

Answer 6

> Erythropoietin injection

Question 7

What are the complications of normocytic anaemia?

Answer 7

Severe fatigue
Pregnancy complications e.g. premature birth
Heart problems
Death

Question 8

What is the prognosis of normocytic anaemia?

Answer 8

here is reduced survival for people with all types of anaemia and it has been shown that there is a low yield from investigations for older people with normocytic anaemia. However, the longer-term outcomes of people with mild normocytic anaemia are not known.