TI2 Flashcards
Define anemia (2)
Condition in which number of RBCs (+ consequentially their oxygen-carrying capacity) is insufficient to meet they body’s physiological needs
Insufficient oxygen-carrying capacity due to reduced Hb conc. as seen with insufficient RBC
What is haemoglobin and what is seen in anaemia? (2)
An iron-containing oxygen-transport metalloprotein within RBCs
Reduction in haemoglobin = anaemia (reduction in O2 carrying capacity)
What are the cellular components of blood and where are they produced? (2)
RBCs, WBCs + platelets
Produced in bone marrow in long bones
How do Hb levels vary in different people? (7)
Value changes throughout life Vary b/w M + F ~12-14yrs old values = adult values Male > female > pregnant female Pregnant women have increased in physiological volume Lower Hb vol. = more severe anaemia Measured in g/L (used to be g/dL)
What do RBCs require to mature in normal erythropoiesis? (5)
Vit. B12 + folic acid (DNA synthesis) Iron (Hb synthesis) Vitamins Cytokines (erythropoietin) Healthy bone marrow environment
What are the mechanisms of action of anaemia? (3)
Failure of production - hypoproliferation, reticulocytopenic
Ineffective erythropoiesis
Decreased survival - blood loss, haemolysis, reticulocytosis
Mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and type of anaemia? (3)
Microcytic e.g. iron deficiency, thalassaemia etc
Normocytic e.g. sickle cell disease etc
Macrocytic e.g. B12 or folate deficiency, myelodysplasia
What is a nutritional anaemia? (2)
Anaemia caused by lack of essential ingredients that body acquires from food sources
E.g. iron deficiency, vit. B12 deficiency, folate deficiency
What it iron’s role? (3)
Essential for O2 transport
Most abundant trace element in body
Daily iron requirement for erythropoiesis varies depending on gender + physiological needs
How do we use Hb levels to diagnose anaemia? (4)
Measured in g/L
Values changes throughout life + varies b/w male + female
Pregnant women have increased physiological vol.
Lower Hb vol. = more severe anaemia
What is required for normal erythropoiesis? (3)
Vit B12 + folic acid (for DNA synthesis)
Iron (Hb synthesis)
Vitamins, cytokines, healthy bone marrow environment
What’s the MOA of anaemia? ()
Failure of production - hypoproliferation - reticulocytopenic Ineffective erythropoiesis Decreased survival: - blood loss - haemolysis - reticulocytosis
Examples of microcytic anaemia (3)
Iron deficiency
Thalassaemia (globin def)
Anaemia of chronic disease
Examples of normocytic anaemia (5)
Anaemia chronic disease Aplastic anaemia Chronic renal failure Bone marrow infiltration SCD
Examples of macrocytic anaemia (7)
B12 def Folate def Myelodysplasia Alcohol induced Drug induced Liver disease Myxoedema
What is a nutritional anaemia? (4)
Anaemia caused by lack of essential ingredients that body acquires from food sources
Iron def
Vit. B12 def
Folate def
Daily iron requirement (3)
7 months - 14yrs -> M=F (~9mg)
14yrs to menopause -> men + pregnant women require mere
@ menopause M = F (~8mg)
Haem and non-haem source of iron (3)
Recommended intake assumes 75% if from haem iron sources
Veg diet iron requirement is ~2-fold higher
Haem iron is more easily absorbed than non-haem
How is iron distributed in an adult? (4)
Maj. or iron in RBCs
~300g in bone marrow
Dietary iron absorbed predominantly to duodenum
Fe3+ ions circulate bound to plasma transferrin + accumulate within cells in form of ferritin
Average blood loss of men + non-menstruating women (1)
~1mg per day
Why do premenopausal women have lower iron stores? (1)
Due to recurrent blood loss through menstruation
Describe iron metabolism (4)
Ferric (3+) + ferrous (2+) forms Maj. of iron circulates in Hb Remainder as storage + transport proteins: - ferritin + haemosiderin - found in liver cells
How is iron absorption regulated? (3)
By GI mucosal cells
Max. absorption in duodenum + proximal jejunum via ferroportin receptor (hepcidin hormone)
What factors affect absorption of iron? (5)
Source of iron: - haem, ferrous > non-haem, ferric As well as: - iron storage levels - other foods - GI acidity - bone marrow absorption
What is hepcidin? (4)
Iron-regulatory hormone
Causes ferroportin internalisation + degradation
Feedback reg. by [iron] in plasma + liver
+ by erythropoietic demand for iron
What effects does hepcidin have? (4)
Decrease in iron transfer into blood plasma from:
- duodenum
- macrophages (involved in recycling senescent RBCs)
- iron-storing hepatocytes
How is iron transported + stored? (3)
Transported from enterocytes + then either into plasma or stored as ferritin
Once attached to ferritin, binds to transferrin receptors on RBC precursors
IDA -> decreased ferritin stores, increased transferrin
What iron studies can you do when investigating IDA? (4)
Serum Fe - v variable throughout so not v useful overall
Ferritin = primary storage protein, reliable for IDA tests
Transferring saturation = serum Fe:TIBC
- % iron transferrin binding site occupied by iron
Where is transferrin produced? (2)
In liver
Production is inversely proportional to Fe stores
What is TIBC?
Capacity of transferrin to bind iron
Indirect measurement of transferrin
Easier to measure TIBC than transferrin levels
In IDA, TIBC = high
- increased transferrin produced aiming to transport more iron to tissues in need
Can use combo of trans. sat. + TIBX
Causes of iron deficiency (7)
Not enough in e.g. poor diet, malabsorption, increased physiological need
Losing too much e.g. blood loss, menstruation, GI tract loss, parasite
What investigations are there for IDA? (4)
FBC e.g. MCV, [Hb], MCH, reticulocyte count
Iron studies e.g. ferritin, transferrin sat, TIBC
Blood film
BMAT (bone marrow aspirate + trephine) + iron stores
Development of IDA (5)
Initially normocytic + normochromic
Serum ferritin = most sensitive indicator of mild IDA
% transferrin sat. + free erythrocyte protoporphyrin values do not become abnormal until tissue stores are depleted of iron
Decrease in [Hb] occurs when iron is unavailable for haem synthesis
MCV + MCH are not abnormal until several months after tissue stores are depleted of iron
Lab results in IDA (4)
Decreased ferritin
Decreased transferrin sat.
Decreased/norm serum iron
Increased TIBC
What would be your expected IDA findings? (3)
Low [Hb]
Microcytic (use neutrophils for comparison)
Hypochromic (enlarged area of central pallor) indicating decreased MCHC