Lecture 8 Anaemia In Practice

Question 1

An 84 year old woman presents with pins and needles in feet and hands and feels as though walking on cotton wool. She has parathesia and peripheral sensory neuropathy. On examination she has a sore tongue and a lemon yellow tinge. Her MCV is raised. What is your diagnosis?

Answer 1

B12/Folate Deficiency

Question 2

What is the diagnostic test for pernicious anaemia?

Answer 2

Anti-intrinsic factor antibodies

Question 3

How is pernicious anaemia treated

Answer 3

IM vitamin B12

Question 4

How would the blood film look in B12/ Folate deficiency

Answer 4

Oval macrocytes and neutrophil hypersegmentation

Question 5

A 22 year old medical student complains of feeling tired, difficulty concentrating on work, irritable with friends, breathless on exercise and looks pale. Her red blood cells are hypochromic and her MCV is 77 (82-99). Her ferritin is low what do you suspect

Answer 5

Iron deficiency anaemia

Question 6

A 78 year old retired surgeon complains of difficulty concentrating on crosswords, breathlessness on exercise and chest pain at rest. His red blood cells are hypochromic and his MCV is low. His ferritin levels are normal. What is the most likely diagnosis?

Answer 6

Thalassaemia trait