Pathoma Chapter 5 Flashcards
What are the clinical symptoms of anemias?
- fatigue, weakness, and dyspnea
- pale conjunctiva and skin
- headache and lightheadedness
- angina, w/ CAD
What Hb level would be indicative of anemia?
less than 13.5 g/dL in men and less than 12.5 g/dL in females
What is the root cause of microcytic anemias?
decreased production of hemoglobin
- microcytosis is due to extra divisions of RBC progenitor cells in the bone marrow to maintain hemoglobin concentration
T or F. A decrease in any of iron, protoporphyrin, or globin will lead to microcytic anemia
T.
Where does absorption of iron occur?
duodenum- DMT-1 transporters
What are some lab values that can be used to measure iron levels in the blood?
- ferritin
- serum iron
- TIPC (measure of transferrin molecules in the blood)
- % saturation
What is the normal % saturation in blood?
33%
What are the lab findings of iron deficiency?
- elevated TIBC, free erythrocyte protoporphyrin (FEP)
- low ferritin, serum iron, % saturation
Treatment for iron deficiency?
ferrous sulfate
What is Plummer-Vinson syndrome?
iron deficiency with:
- esophageal webbing
- atrophic glossitis (beefy red tongue)
- dysphagia (trouble swallowing)
What is anemia in chronic inflammation caused by?
hepcidin is increased in chronic inflammation (think bacteria) resulting in a microcytic anemia
What are the lab findings of anemia in chronic inflammation?
- elevated ferritin, FEP
- low serum iron, % saturation, TIBC
What is the root cause of sideroblastic anemia?
protoporphyrin deficiency that causes iron to build up in mitochondria (no porphyrin to add it to)
How is protoporphryin synthesized?
- aminolevulinic acid synthetase (ALAS) converts succinyl CoA to ALA using vitamin B6 as a cofactor
- ALA dehydratase converts ALA to porphobilinogen
- more rxns= protoporphyrin
What attaches protoporphyrin to iron to make heme?
ferrochelatase (in mitochondria)
What acquired things can cause sideroblastic anemias?
- lead poisoning
- vitamin B6 deficiency
- alcoholism
How does iron poisoning lead to sideroblastic anemia?
inhibits ALAD and ferrochelatase
What lab findings would you see in sideroblastic anemia?
- elevated ferritin, serum iron, and % saturation
- low TIBC
think an iron-overloaded state
What are thalassemias?
anemias due to decreased synthesis of the globin chains of hemoglobin
T or F. Carriers of thalassemic mutations are partially protected from Plasmodium falciparum malaria
T.
Normal serum iron level?
100 ug/dL
Normal TIBC?
300 ug/dL
Symptoms of one alpha gene deleted?
asymptomatic
Symptoms of two alpha gene deletion?
- mild anemia
- elevated RBC count
What is a cis deletion in a-thalassemia? Significance?
- both deletions occur on the same chromosome
- higher risk of severe thalassemia in offspring
- common in Asians
What is attar’s deletion in a-thalassemia?
- one deletion on each chromosome
- common in Africans
Symptoms of three alpha gene deleted?
- severe anemia
- B chains form tetramers (HbH) that damage RBCs
Symptoms of four alpha gene deleted?
- hydrops fetalis
- y chains form tetramers (Hb barts) damage RBCs
T or F. B thalassemias are used to gene deletions.
F. They are due to gene mutations (point mutations in promoters or splicing sites). Alpha-thalassemia’s are due to gene deletions typically
Symptoms of B-thalassemia minor?
- usually asymptomatic
- increased RBCs
- microcytic, hypochromic RBCs and target cells in blood smear
- slightly decreased HbA w/ increased HbA2 and HbF
Symptoms of B-thalassemia major?
- severe anemia a few months after birth
- ineffective erythropoiesis
- extravascular hemolysis in spleen
- chipmunk facies
- hepatosplenomegaly
- microcytic, hypochromic
high HgA2 and HbF
What can protect babies with B-thalassemia at birth for a short period of time?
high HbF
What are B-thalassemia major patients at risk of?
aplastic crisis with parvovirus B19 infection of erythroid precursors
Chronic infusions in B-thalassemia major patients is necessary. What could this result in?
secondary hemochromatosis
What does folate circulate as?
methyl-THF. Methyl group must be removed to participate in DNA precursor
What is the methyl group transferred to?
B12, which passes it to homocysteine forming methionine
B12/folate deficiency leads to ______ anemia.
megaloblastic
Where is folate absorbed?
the jejunum
T or F. Folate deficiency occurs faster than B12 deficiency
T. Body stores are minimal
What are the clinical findings of folate deficiency?
- glossitis