Anemia Flashcards
(40 cards)
Components of CBC
RBC, Hgb, Hct, MCV, MCH, MCHC, RDW, WBC, Diff, PLT count, MPV
Total RBCs: normal values
male 4.5-6.0 x 10^12/Lfemale 3.8-5.2 x 10^12/L
Hgb: values
Normal ranges: male 13-18 g/dL; female 12-16 g/dL• Hgb below normal = anemia
Hct: values
male 40-52%female 35-47%
MCV
- Avg volume (size) of RBC
- Normal range: 80-100 fL
- Differentiates between microcytic (MCV
- and macrocytic (MCV > 100) anemias
MCH
Weight of Hgb in the average red blood cell• Normal range: 26-34 pg• Not a frequently used parameter
MCHC
- Concentration of hb (color)
- Normal range: 32-36 g/dL
- Differentiates between hypochromic (MCHC
- There is no such thing as a hyperchromic red cell (you can’t put excesshemoglobin into a cell, or it would burst!)
RDW
- Range of variation in RBC volume
- Tells you how much the red blood cells differ from each other in size. If they
- are all pretty similar in size, the RDW is low. If some cells are little and someare big, the RDW is high.
- Normal range = 12-13.5%
Anisocytosis
Elevated RDW
Poikilocytosis
Abnormal blood cell shape that makes up >10% of populationTypically d/t nutrient or B12 deficiencies
TIBC
Blood’s capacity to bind iron to transferrinincreased in IDA
WBC
- Normal ranges: adult: 4.5-11 x 109/L, newborn: 9-30, child over 1: 5.0-17.0
- A high WBC is seen in many conditions. Some are benign, such as infectionand inflammation. Others are malignant, such as leukemia.
PLTs
- Normal range = 150-450 x 109/L
- Causes of a low platelet count are numerous and include splenomegaly,idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, disseminated intravascularcoagulation, and bone marrow failure.
Causes of a high platelet count are also numerous, and include reactivethrombocytosis (as seen in iron-deficiency anemia) and essentialthrombocythemia.
MPV
- Mean plt volume
- Average size of platelets
- Normal range depends on the platelet count! (Normally, if the platelet countfalls, the body compensates a little by trying to make bigger platelets.)
- Not used all that often.
IDA: pathogenesis
Bleed or bad diet/malabsorption
Iron deficiency: order of change in labs
- Low Ferritin, low iron, increased RDW, increased TIBC, changes in H/H, decreased indices (small, pale)
other changes: - PLT increased (erythropoiesis can increase PLT counts)
- *serum ferritin is most sensitive!
Anemia of chronic disease labwork
- Typically normochromic, normocytic, minimal anisocytosis and poikilocytosis. Sometimes microcytic, rarely
- Iron studies: Low iron, Low TIBC, normal or increased ferritin
- Low retic count
Treatment for anemia of chronic disease
Usually too mild to treat – focus on underlying cause
Vitamin B12 replacement: when, route
- R/O causative factors before supplementing
- Traditionally: Daily IM injection 1mg cobalamin x 1 wk, 1mg weekly x 4 weeks, 1 mg monthly for life
Reasonable to begin 1000-2000 mcg PO QD if MMA
Parenteral, nasal, oral: PO is found to be sufficient now d/t passive absorption rate 1% in small bowel – will get more than RDA of 2.4 mcg/day
Most common cause B12 deficiency
Pernicious anemia
Typical sx and PE findings of B12 def
Typical Symptoms
- weakness, fatigue, lightheadedness, tachycardia, palpitations, angina, sx CHF
- Neuro sx – late, typically BL, LE, leading to late cerebral involvement
PE findings - Pale, icteric skin, atrophic glossitis, rarely -purpuric lesions s/t thrombocytopenia
Lab findings in B12 def
- macro-ovalocytic erythrocytes, megaloblasts, hypersegmented neutrophils
- Absolute retic, leukocyte, PLT counts: nl to low
- MMA! Very important as FA supplementation may = no macrocytes. MMA rises when B12
Who to screen for B12 def
- Any pt w/normocytic anemia! FA supp is screwing us up!
- All elderly pts
- T2D on metformin
- Prolonged PPI
- Excessive physical stress
- c/o imbalance, decreased sensation in LE
- Celiac/Crohn’s
- Oral ulcers
- tongue complaints
- persistent mild diarrhea
- memory loss
- ?persistent irritability
- autoimmune DO
PICA associated with…
IDA – ice No clear reason