Week 1 - Anaemia Flashcards
Microcytic anaemia is associated with which conditions?
Iron deficiency, thalassemia, chronic disease, sideroblastic
Normocytic anaemia is associated with which conditions?
Infections, inflammatory disease, aplastic anaemia, malignancy, haemorrhage
Macrocytic anaemia is associated with which conditions?
Megaloblastic - B12/folate deficiency
Non-megaloblastic - alcohol, liver disease, hypothyroidism, pregnancy
Normochromic anaemia is associated with which conditions?
Chronic disease, haemorrhage, B12/folate deficiency
Hypochromic anaemia is associated with which conditions?
Iron deficiency, thalassaemia
Poikilocytosis
Abnormal shape
Polycythaemia and examples
High RBCs/PCV
May be myeloproliferative syndrome, reaction to chronically low oxygen, malignancy (rarely)
What is the most common cause of anaemia world-wide?
Iron deficiency
What is the most common type of anaemia found in hospitalised patients?
Anaemia of chronic disease
Mechanism for anaemia in its with chronic renal disease?
Decreased erythropoietin production
Describe the biochemical abnormality underlying megaloblastic anaemia
Low levels of folic acid or vitamin B12 impair one-carbon transfer important in the production of folate, polyglutamates and the generation of pyrimidines
Maternal folate deficiency is associated with what condition in the infant?
Spina bifida
What is evidence of increased erythropoietic activity?
Elevated reticulocyte count in peripheral blood
67yo male, non-megaloblastic anaemia, normal reticulocyte count. Likely cause?
Alcohol abuse
43yo female, several months of increasing lethargy, weight gain, constipation, hoarse voice, dry skin. HR 48bpm, anaemia. What do you expect to find in blood test?
Non-megaloblastic macrocytic anaemia and elevated TSH
What are megaloblasts?
Immature erythrocytes. Large than normal red cells and nucleated.
What does the presence of megaloblasts indicate about the underlying pathophysiogenic mechanism?
Impaired DNA production –> B12/folate deficiency. Cell growth continues during the delay in progression through the normal cell division cycle.
Symptoms of B12 or folate deficiency
Megaloblasts
Neurological: ataxia, impaired sensory perception, parasthesiae, mental disorder e.g. mood disorders, psychosis; cognitive disorders e.g. poor concentration, poor memory, dementia etc
GIT: symptoms of atrophic gastritis or chronic pancreatitis, malabsorption e.g. non-specific abdominal discomfort or pain, bloating, bowel disturbances
Other symptoms of auto-immune disease e.g. vitiligo
Briefly outline the production of erythrocytes
proerythroblast –> erythroblast –> reticulocyte –> Erythrocyte
Briefly outline the production of platelets
megakaryoblast –> promegakaryocyte –> megakaryocyte –> platelet
Briefly outline the production of basophils, neutrophils and eosinophils
myeloblast –> B/N/E. Promyelocyte –> Myelocyte –> Metamyelocyte –> Band –> basophil/neutrophil/eosinophil
Briefly outline the production of macrophages
Myeloblast –> monoblast –> promonocyte –> monocyte –> macrophage
Outline sites at which haemopoiesis occurs and how this changes from the fetus to the adult
Fetus: 0-2 months: yolk sac 2-7 months: liver and spleen 5-9 months: bone and marrow Infant: bone marrow, most bones Adult: vertebrae, ribs, sternum, skull, sacrum, pelvis, proximal femur
What condition causes normochromic, normocytic anaemia, normal TIBC and ferritin?
Chronic disease
What condition causes microcytic, hypochromic anaemia, increased TIBC, low ferritin, poikilocytosis?
Iron deficiency
What condition causes normochromic, macrocytic anaemia, decreased TIBC, increased ferritin?
Chronic liver disease
What condition causes normochromic, normocytic anaemia with increased reticulocytes?
Haemolysis