normocytic anemias Flashcards

1
Q

normocytic anemia

A
  • 80-100 MCV
  • issue with destruction, production, kidneys, or malignancy
  • peripheral smear is key
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

causes of normocytic anemias

A
  • heomlytic anemia
  • hereditary spherocytosis
  • autoimmune hemolytic anemia
  • cold agglutin disease
  • paroxysmal nocturnal hemaglobinuria
  • G6PD def
  • sickle cell disease
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

why does anemia occur with continued hemolysis

A
  • extremely short RBC survival

- ability of bone marrow to compensate is impaired

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

intrinsic/ inherited causes of hemolytic anemia

A
  • genes that control how we make RBCs are abnormal
  • membrane defects
  • enzyme deficiency/ oxidation vulnerability
  • hemoglobinopathies
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

acquired/ extrinsic causes of hemolytic anemia

A
  • something else destroying the cells
  • immune: autoimmune, drug toxicity
  • microangiopathic
  • infection
  • hypersplenism
  • burn
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

si/sx of hemolytic anemia

A
  • fatigue, weakness, pallor
  • easy bruising, petechiae, purpura
  • yellow discoloration of eyes and skin
  • abd pain
  • dark urine
  • splenomegaly
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

lab findings for hemolytic anemia

A
  • bilirubin accumuation d/t heme breakdown
  • increased retic count
  • decreased haptoglobin
  • pos urine hemosiderin
  • increased serum LDH
  • increased methemalbuminemia and hemoglobinemia
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

hereditary spherocytosis

A
  • abnormal spectrin and ankyrin (abnormal cell membrane)
  • causes small, hyperchromic, inflexible cells
  • get trapped in spleen and hemolyzed
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

key findings for hereditary spherocytosis

A
  • family hx
  • splenomegaly
  • spherocytosis and reticulocytes on smear
  • may or may not be anemic
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

diagnosis of hereditary spherocytosis

A
  • spherocytosis
  • familial hemolytic anemia
  • abnormal osmotic fragility
  • coombs negative
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

treatment of hereditary spherocytosis

A
  • supportive care
  • transfusions as needed
  • folic acid cupplementation
  • consider splenectomy if sx are severe
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH)

A
  • rare hematopoietic stem cell disorder
  • abnormal sensitivity of RBC membranes to lysis by complement
  • lack of CD55 and CD59 proteins
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

what is the most common cause of death in PNH

A
  • thrombosis
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

si/sx of PNH

A
  • episodic hemoglobinuria- reddish brown urine usu first thing in AM
  • fatigue, weakness
  • esophageal spasms
  • ED
  • abd pain
  • dyspnea
  • thrombosis**
  • pulm HTN
  • end organ damage, CKD
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

common sites of thrombosis in PNH

A
  • mesenteric v
  • hepatic v
  • CNS veins
  • skin vessels- formation of painful nodules
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

lab findings in PNH

A
  • CBC variable
  • retic variable
  • peripheral smear is non-diagnostic
  • direct coombs neg
  • urine hemosiderine elevated
  • serum LDH elevated
  • iron def anemia
  • MUST get flow cytometry*
  • bone marrow bx
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

essentials of PNH dx

A
  • episodic hemoglobinuria
  • thrombosis common
  • suspect in confusing case of hemolytic anemia or pancytopenia
  • flow cytometry shows def of CD55 and CD59
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

treatment of mild PNH

A
  • no intervention required
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

treatment of severe PNH

A
  • transfusion needed
  • eculizumab therapy- improved QOL, reduced hemolysis
  • allogenic SCT
  • treat iron def anemia if indicated
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

G6PD deficiency

A
  • def in G6PH enzyme
  • x linked recessive
  • RBCs cant handle oxidative stress -> episodic hemolysis
  • hemoglobin denatures under these conditions
  • extravasc hemolysis in spleen
  • different variants exist in def populations
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

beneficial part of G6PD

A
  • protection from malaria
  • less CAD
  • possibly fewer cancers
  • greater longevity
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

si/sx of G6PD def

A
  • usu healthy
  • no splenomegaly
  • suspect when hemolytic anemia
  • worse with fava beans
23
Q

lab findings with G6PD def

A
  • hemolytic labs appear normal between episodes
  • hgb < 8
  • increased retic count
  • increased serum indirect bili
  • peripheral smear shows bite cells, blisters
  • heinz bodies
  • decreased G6PD enzyme assay 6-8 weeks after hemolysis
24
Q

essentials of G6PD dx

A
  • x linked recessive disorder
  • common in AA men
  • episodic hemolysis in response to oxidant drugs or infections
  • bite cells and blister cells on periph smear
  • reduced level of G6PD btwn hemolytic episodes
25
treatment for G6PD def
- episodes self limited - avoid known oxidant drugs - pregnant/ nursing- avoid drugs with oxidant potential - transfusion if severe epoisode - avoid fava beans - avoid dapsone*
26
autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA)
- autoab attacking RBCs - classified as warm or cold - anemia onset can be rapid and life threatening - results in spherocytic cells - cells get hemolyzed by spleen, if bad enough et hemolyzed by liver
27
what are spherocytic cells
- decreased deformability -> inability to pass through spleen - decreased surface area - increased fragility
28
si/sx of AIHA
- fatigue - dyspnea - angina pectoris, possible HF - jaundice - splenomegaly
29
lab findings
- anemia varies - can be severe with hc < 10% - increased retic count - peripheral smear: spherocytes, NRBCs - direct coombs pos* - indirect coombs test pos or neg - decreased haptoglobin - increased direct bili
30
essentials of dx for AIHA
- acquired hemolytic anemia d/t IgG autoab - spherocytes and retic on peripheral smear - pos coombs
31
treatment of AIHA
- prednisone - transfusions- may be difficult to cross match d/t ab - splenectomy - therpaeutic plasma pheresis - refer to hematology - sx pts or rapidly falling hbg should get referred
32
cold agglutinin disease
- hemolytic anemia d/t IgM ab - coombs test + IgM ab - cold ab react with RBCs peripherally
33
what can cause cold agglutinin disease
- waldenstrom - macroglobulinemia - lymphoma - CLL - post mycoplasma pneumonia
34
si/ sx of cold agglutinin disease
- sx related to RBC agglutinationon expsoure to cold - mottled or numb fingers, toes, ears - acrocyanosis - episodic LBP - dark colored urine - hemoglobinuria on exposure to cold
35
essentials for dx of cold agglutinin disease
- increased retic on blood smear - coombs pos test for compliment only, neg ab - pos cold agglutinin titer
36
treatment for cold agglutinin disease
- avoid exposure to cold - rituximab or immunosuppressive therapy - if transfusing use in line blood warmer
37
sickle cell disease
- autosomal recessive disorder - abnormal hemoglobin - predominantly in AA - causes chronic hemolytic anemia - life span of 40-50 years
38
sickle cell trait
- one good and one bad gene - hematologically normal - normal life span
39
RBC components in sickle cell
- hemoglobin S (HbS) - substitution of valine for glutamic acid - poorly soluble when deoxygenated
40
how does sickling occur
- HbS is unstable - sickles with deoxygenation - undergo hemolysis - lifespan of 10-20 days - sickle cells can occlude microvasc
41
stressors that can lead to sickle cell crisis
- anything that causes oxidative stress - infection - hypoxia - dehydration - acidosis - extreme exercise - ETOH - pregnancy - cold weather
42
what is the hallmark sx of sickle cell anemia
- pain due to occlusion
43
si/sx of sickle cell
- pain* - anemia, jaundice - pigmented gallstones - early splenomegaly - poor healing ulcers over tibia - life threatening anemia - chest pain - stroke - priapism - retinopathy
44
types of sickle cell crises
- vaso-occlusive - hematologic - infection
45
exam findings in sickle cell disease
- dactylitis - chronically ill, jaundiced - hepatomegaly - spleen not palpable - cardiomegaly - hyperdynamic precordium and systolic murmurs - non healing ulcers - retinopathy
46
complications of sickle cell disease
- retinopathy - pulm htn- poor prognosis - delayed puberty - infex - bone necrosis - cardiomegaly - chlelithiasis
47
lab studies for sickle cell anemia
- hct 20-30% - WBC and platelets elevated - blood smear: irreversibly sickled cells, reticulocytes, howell-jolly bodies, target cells - HgS screening - Hgb electrophoresis - increased indirect bili
48
essentials of dx of sickle cell anemia
- recurrent pain - + family hx and lifelong hx of hemolytic anemia - irreversibly sickled cells on smear - HbS on electrophoresis
49
treatment for sickle cell anemia
- supoprtive care - folic acid PO - pneumococcal vaccine - avoid precipitating factors - exchange transfusion if indicated - hydroxyurea if severe - omgea 3 fatty acid supplementation - allogenic HSCT
50
treatment in acute crisis of sickle cell disease
- generous analgesia* - transfusion for aplastic or hemolytic crisis - ID precipitating factors and treat/ avoid - keep well hydrated, O2 if hypoxic - abx, VTE ppx
51
sickle cell trait
- heterozygous genotype - AS instead of SS - hematologically normal - screening for sickle cell hg + - no tx needed
52
clinical risk sof sickle cell trait
- sudden cardiac death or rhabdo with vigerous exs, esp at night - increased risk VTE - microscopic and gross hematuria - hyposthenuria - possible CKD
53
when to refer for sickle cell anemia
- all pts referred to hematology - all pts referred to comprehensive sickle cell center - prenatal dx avail for couples at risk
54
benefits of sickle cell anemia
- resistance to malaria - cells have shorter life - eliminated in spleen - cell membrane stretched by its shape, becomes porous and leaks nutrients like K - parasite needs those nutrients for survival