Haematology Flashcards
(40 cards)
1
Q
Microcytic anaemia
- Causes - TAILS
A
1. Thalassaemia Anaemia of chronic disease Iron deficiency Lead poisoning Sideroblastic anaemia
2
Q
Normocytic anaemia
- Causes - 3 As, 2 Hs
A
1. Acute blood loss Anaemia of chronic disease (e.g. renal failure) Aplastic (marrow failure) Haemolytic anaemia Hypothyroidism
3
Q
Macrocytic anaemia
- Two types
- Megaloblastic - pathophysiology
- Megaloblastic - causes (2)
- Normoblastic - causes (5)
A
- Megaloblastic, normoblastic
- Impaired DNA synthesis prevents normal cell division
- B12 deficiency, Folate deficiency
4. Alcohol (+ thiamine deficiency) Reticulocytosis (haemolytic anaemia or blood loss) Hypothyroidism Liver disease (cirrhosis) Drugs (e.g. azathioprine)
4
Q
Anaemia - General
- Normal Hb levels
- Normal MCV
- Symptoms
- Clinical signs
- Signs from specific conditions - IDA
- Haemolytic anaemia
- Bone deformities
- CKD
- Blood tests
- Further tests
A
- 120-165 (F), 130-180 (M)
- 80-100 femtolitres
- Lethargy, headaches, dizzy, SOB, palpitations, angina
- Pale skin/conjunctiva, raised HR, raised RR
- Koilonychia, angular stomatitis, glossitis, brittle hair/nails
- Jaundice
- Thalassaemia
- Oedema, HTN, skin excoriations
- FBC (Hb), MCV, haematinics (ferritin, B12, folate, EPO), blood film, U+E, LFT, CRP
- Marrow biopsy, GI endoscopy (if unexplained IDA)
5
Q
Iron deficiency anaemia
- Iron - absorbed where, in what form
- Travels around in blood how
- Form when deposited/stored in cells
- Causes (4 general)
- Specific clinical signs
- Specific symptoms from history (2)
- Blood results
- Iron therapy (ferrous sulphate 3x/day) - side effects
- Iron therapy - aim for rise in Hb
- Unsuitable when
A
- Duodenum, jejunum (in soluble Fe2+ form, needs acidity)
- As Fe3+, bound to transferrin
- Ferritin
- Low dietary intake, malabsorption (coeliac, gastrectomy, PPI), loss (menorrhagia, GI bleed), increased requirements (pregnancy)
- Nail spooning (koilonychia), angular stomatitis, glossitis
- Pica, hair loss
- Microcytic anaemia, high transferrin + TIBC
- Black stools, change in bowel habit, abdominal pain, nausea
- 10g/L a week
- If IDA caused by malabsorption
6
Q
B12 deficiency anaemia
- Causes (2)
- B12 normally absorbed how
- Pernicious - pathophysiology
- Neurological complications
- Bloods - 1st line investigation
- Management - mild dietary deficiency
- Management - if severe dietary, or pernicious
- Limitation of this
- If folate deficiency too, do what
A
- Lack of B12 dietary intake, malabsorption (pernicious anaemia, gastrectomy)
- In ileum, with help from intrinsic factor (made in stomach parietal cells)
- Autoimmune - antibodies against PCs or IF
- Peripheral neuropathy (numbness, paraesthesia), Subacute combined degeneration of the cord dorsal columns (weakness, ataxia and paraplegia), visual impairment, altered mental state
- Intrinsic factor antibody
- PO replacement - cyanocobalamin
- IM hydroxycobalamin 3x a week for 2 weeks, then every 3 months
- Will not fix the cord degeneration
- Treat B12 deficiency first - giving folic acid when B12 deficient can lead to SCDC
7
Q
Folate deficiency
- Causes (4)
- Extra tests if suspected (2)
- Commonly linked disease
A
- Increased requirement (pregnancy), insufficient intake (diet), malabsorption (Crohn’s, coeliac), drugs (methotrexate)
- Jejunal biopsy - look for coeliac disease, BM aspirate
- B12 deficiency
8
Q
Haemolytic anaemia
- Where are RBC destroyed extravascularly (4)
- Inherited causes (cell wall defect)
- Immune causes (2)
- Non-immune causes (6)
- Clinical features (5)
- Investigations (FBC, blood film, DC test)
- Direct Coomb’s test - what is Coombs reagent
- Function
- When is it positive
A
- Spleen, marrow, liver, phagocytes
- Cell membrane (hereditary spherocytosis), Hb dysfunction (thalassaemia, sickle cell), metabolic (G6PD deficiency, pyruvate kinase)
- Autoimmune, alloimmune (transfusion reactions, newborn) drug-induced
- Heart valves, DIC, drugs, toxins, infection, renal/liver disease
- Triad: anaemia, splenomegaly, jaundice
Other: dark urine, pallor, pigment gallstones - FBC - normocytic anaemia
Blood film - schistocytes
DC test - positive in autoimmune haemolytic anaemia - Anti-human globulin
- Tests for autoimmune haemolytic anaemia and antibodies/complement attached to RBC surface
- Positive if cells agglutinate after being washed in Coombs reagent
9
Q
Reticulocytosis - 2 classifications
A
Intra-vascular
Extra-vascular
10
Q
G6PD deficiency
- Inheritance
- Commonest in which patient cohort
- Triggers
- Results in
- Presentation
- Blood film finding
- Diagnosis via
A
- X-linked recessive
- Mediterranean/African patients
- Haemolytic anaemia
- Infection, antimalarials, fava/broad beans
- Neonatal jaundice, gallstones, haemolytic anaemia, splenomegaly
- Heinz bodies (Hb fragments)
- G6PD enzyme assay
11
Q
Thalassaemia
- Inheritance pattern, what part of Hb affected
- Type of anaemia
- Clinical features - general
- Alpha - chromosome, specific features, management
- Blood film finding
- Beta - chromosome
- B-major - definition
- B-intermedia =
- B-minor =
- Diagnosis
- Iron overload - symptoms
- Management
- Monitoring
- What cell may indicate thalassaemia
A
- Autosomal recessive; Globin chain - alpha / beta
- Microcytic
- Delayed growth, congestive HF, splenomegaly, bone deformity, increased risk of infections, iron overload
- 16, pronounced forehead, blood/marrow transfusions, splenectomy
- Heinz bodies
- 11
- 2 deletion genes (no B-globin production) - severe microcytic anaemia, splenomegaly, bone deformities. Regular transfusion, chelation, spleen out, BM transplant
- 2 defective/deletion genes, occasional transfusions
- Carrier of one abnormal, mild microcytic, monitoring
- FBC (microcytic anaemia), Hb electrophoresis (globin abnormalities), DNA testing/pregnancy screening
- Fatigue, cirrhosis, impotence, HF, arthritis, DM, osteoporosis/joint pain
- Limit transfusions, iron chelation
- Serum ferritin
- Target cells
12
Q
Sickle cell
- Inheritance
- Crisis - types(4)
- Blood tests (6)
- Bedside tests (3)
- Further test
- Acute management
- Acute chest syndrome - definition
- Prevention (3)
- Complications
A
- Autosomal recessive
- Vaso-occlusive (pain), sequestration (spleen pain, hypovolaemia), aplastic (from parvovirus B19), haemolytic (jaundice, commoner with G6PD defiency)
- FBC, U+E, LFTs, bilirubin, LDH, ABG
- Urine analysis, sputum analysis, blood culture
- Blood film, CXR
- ABCDE, fluids, analgesia, ABX if infection, maybe blood transfusion
- Fever/respiratory symptoms + new infiltrates on CXR
- Vaccinations, penicillin V prophylaxis, avoid triggers, hydroxycarbamide (stimulates HbF production)
- Avascular necrosis, pulmonary HTN, priapism, CKD
13
Q
Indirect Coombs test
- Who for
- Function
- When is it positive
A
- Pregnant women/ pre-blood transfusion
- Detects antibodies against foreign red blood cells
- Positive if serum from patient sample agglutinates after being incubated with antigenetic RBCs and added to Coombs reagent
14
Q
Haemophilia
- Inheritance
- A - deficiency + management
- Complication
- B (Christmas disease) - deficiency + management
- Features
- Bleeding sign in neonates
- Blood result
A
- X-linked recessive
- Factor 8; give desmopressin (stimulates vWF release) + factor 8 IV infusion
- 10-15% develop antibodies to factor VIII treatment
- Factor 9; treat with factor 9 IV infusion
- Haemoarthroses, haematomas, prolonged bleeding
- Cord bleeding
- Prolonged APTT, normal PT/vWF
15
Q
von Willebrand Disease (vWD)
- Types (3)
- Presentation
- Blood result
- Management (4)
A
- Partial vWF reduction (commonest, AD), abnormal form, total absence (AR)
- Behaves like platelet disorder (epistaxis, menorrhagia, gums when brushing teeth), family history of bleeding
- Prolonged bleeding/APTT, normal PT, low F8/vWF
- TXA (mild), desmopressin, vWF concentrate, factor 8
16
Q
DIC
- Pathophysiology
- Effect
- Causes (5)
- Blood results
A
- Pathological activation of coagulation, so depletion of platelets + clotting factors
- Bleeding and microvascular thrombosis
- Infection, malignancy, obstetrics, anaphylaxis, liver disease
- Prolonged APTT / PT / TT, low fibrinogen
17
Q
Thrombophilia
- Primary causes (3)
- Secondary causes (7)
- Hepatic vein blood clot - name of syndrome
- Symptoms (triad)
- Factor V leiden - what it is
A
- Antiphospholipid syndrome protein S/ C deficiency, antithrombin III deficiency, Factor V leiden
- Malignancy, immobility, major surgery, OCP, smoking, pregnancy, APS
- Budd-Chiari
- Abdominal pain, hepatomegaly, ascites
- Commonest inherited thrombophilia - ‘activated protein c resistance’ so Factor V is inactivated much more slowly
18
Q
Lymphoma
- Hodgkin’s lymphoma - cells found
- Associated conditions
- Types (3)
- Blood test commonly raised
- Symptoms
- Management (+ risks)
- Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma - main presentation
- Lymphadenopathy - locations
- Burkitt’s - types (2)
- Microscopy findings
- MALT (mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue)
- Diffuse large B cell lymphoma - presentation
- Both - diagnosis
- Both - staging system
- Both - complication
A
- Reed-Sternberg cells (very big B cells with multiple nuclei, + nucleoli inside those)
- EBV, HIV, autoimmune (RA, sarcoid)
- Nodular sclerosing - commonest, has “fibrotic bands”
Lymphocyte rich - RS cells + small lymphocytes
Mixed cellularity - RS cells, mixed infiltrate - LDH
- Painless (pain if alcohol), rubbery nodes, B symptoms
- Chemotherapy (leukaemia, infertility), radiotherapy (other malignancy)
- Painless lymphadenopathy
- Cervical, axilla, inguinal
- Endemic (African, EBV), sporadic (ileo-caecal, HIV)
- ‘Starry sky’ - lymphocyte sheets + macrophages with dead apoptotic tumour cells
- In stomach, associated with H.pylori
- > 65yo, rapidly growing painless mass
- Lymph node biopsy (also do FBC, blood film, CXR)
- Ann-Arbor (1 local nodes, 2 node spread, 3 nodes above / below diaphragm, 4 organs e.g. lungs/liver)
- Autoimmune haemolytic anaemia
19
Q
Leukaemia - general
- Pathophysiology
- Action of leukaemia cells on bone marrow
- Symptoms due to bone marrow suppression
- Blood test - what commonly raised
A
- Increase non functional haemopoietic blood cells produced by bone marrow
- Suppress production of normal cells
- Anaemia, bruising, bleeding, susceptible to infections
- LDH
20
Q
Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL)
- Commonest patient cohort (2)
- Associated syndrome
- Pathophysiology
- Blood film - predominant cell type
- Associated with which translocations
A
- Children, >65
- Down’s
- Acute proliferation of a single lymphocyte, (usually B)
- Blast cells
5. t(15:17) (30% of children with ALL) Ph chromosome (t(9:22) (30% of adults with ALL)
21
Q
Philadelphia chromosomal defect
- Which chromosome on the leukaemia cell
- Which leukaemias is it associated with
A
- Chromosome 22
2. CML (90%) on p210; ALL on p190
22
Q
Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL)
- Pathology
- WBC type raised
- Commonest age group
- Blood film - cell seen
- Can cause what autoimmune condition
- Can transform into what
A
- Uncontrolled proliferation and accumulation of mature non-functional lymphocytes (usually B lymphocytes)
- Lymphocytes
- > 55
- Smudge/smear cells (mature fragile lymphocytes)
- Warm autoimmune haemolytic anaemia
- High-grade lymphoma (Richter’s transformation)
23
Q
Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML)
- What do the blasts infiltrate (5)
- Main causes (5)
- Presentation (4)
- Blood test results (FBC, urate, LDH, Ca2+)
- Non-blood tests (3)
- Blood film - findings
- Commonest age group
A
- Mainly bone marrow, then liver, spleen, skin and gums
- Myelodysplastic syndromes (PRV, myelofibrosis)
Chemotherapy, radiotherapy - Hepatosplenomegaly, lymphadenopathy, bone pain
- Pancytopaenia (normocytic, normochromic anaemia), Urate/LDH/Ca2+ and young white cell blasts up
- Blood film, bone marrow, cytogenic/molecular analysis
- High blast cells, auer rods in cytoplasm
- > 75
24
Q
Chronic myeloid leukaemia
- Pathophysiology
- Phases (3)
- Transforms into (2)
- Blood tests (RBC, WBC, platelet, urate, LDH, B12)
- Associated chromosomal defect
- Commonest age group
- Management - lifelong
A
- Chronic accumulation of basophils, eosinophils and neutrophils (granulocytes, metamyelocytes)
- Chronic (5 years, asymptomatic), accelerated (10-20% blasts), blast (>30% blasts)
- Blast transformation - AML (80%), ALL (20%)
- RBC down, WBC/platelet/urate/LDH/B12 up
- Philadelaphia chromosome
- > 65
- Imatinib
25
Paraproteins
1. Variations (3)
2. Light chains - found in
3. Paraproteinaemia - definition
1. Whole immunoglobulins, heavy chains, light chains (bence jones)
2. Urine (filtered out by the kidneys)
3. Presence of monoclonal immunoglobulins in the blood
26
Multiple myeloma
1. Type of malignancy
2. What is released, + consequence of this
3. Presentation
4. Investigations - initial ('BLIP')
5. Diagnostic investigation
6. Blood film - finding
7. Blood test - result
8. Bone assessment - whole body MRI findings
9. Name for finding in skull
10. Management - supportive
11. Management - hyperviscosity
12. Complications (2)
1. Plasma cell (type of B lymphocyte in marrow)
2. Large number of one monoclonal antibody/paraprotein (IgG normally) so normal IG function down (infections)
3. High Ca2+, renal failure, anaemia, bone pain/fracture, regular infections
4. Bence–Jones protein (monoclonal light chain from abundant antibody) (request urine electrophoresis)
Serum: Light‑chain assay
Immunoglobulins
Protein electrophoresis (monoclonal paraprotein band)
5. Bone marrow biopsy (specifies paraprotein)
6. Rouleaux formation
7. Low RBC (normocytic normochromic anaemia) + WCC, High Ca2+, ESR, plasma viscosity
Low RBC/platelets/neutrophils (if marrow infiltration)
8. Punched out, lytic lesions - common locations are skull, spine, long bones and ribs (increased osteoclast/decreased osteoblast activity)
9. 'Pepper pot' / 'raindrop' skull
10. Bisphosphonates, ABX, analgesia, chemotherapy, radiotherapy for bone pain
11. Plasmaphoresis
12. Spinal cord compression
Renal disease
Hyperviscocity syndrome - epistaxis, visual disturbance, headaches, confusion
27
Myeloproliferative disorders - general
1. Definition
2. Types (3) + proliferation of which cells
3. Progress into
Myelofibrosis
4. AKA
5. Cause
6. Consequence
7. Blood results
8. Bone marrow aspirate - result
9. Management - primary
1. Overproduction of one or more of the early cell lines in the bone marrow
2. Primary myelofibrosis (haematopoietic stem cells)
Polycythaemia vera (erythroid cell)
Essential thrombocytosis (megakaryocyte)
3. Acute myeloid leukaemia
4. Marrow fibrosis
5. Primary, or secondary to PC / ET
6. Marrow failure, so extramedullary haematopoiesis, so hepatosplenomegaly, so portal HTN + maybe cord compression
7. Anisocytosis, poikilocytosis (teardrop shape), blasts
8. 'Dry' aspiration
9. Allogeneic stem cell transplant, chemo, supportive
28
Thrombocytosis
1. Essential thrombocytosis - definition
2. Clinical features
3. Management
4. Secondary thrombocytosis - causes (4)
1. High platelets (often abnormal so don't work properly)
2. Aysymptomatic, but then:
VTE, GI bleeds, bruising, CV symptoms, weight loss, pruritis, sweats
3. Aspirin, chemo to control
4. Iron deficiency, chronic bleed, trauma, inflammation
29
Polycythaemia
1. Definition
2. Primary - aka
3. Cause
4. Mutation in 92%
5. Clinical findings
6. Abnormal bloods
7. Non-blood tests
8. Management (3)
9. Secondary polycythaemia - causes
1. High RBCs
2. Polycythaemia rubra vera
3. Malignant myelopoliferative disorder
4. JAK2
5. Erythema, facial plethora, fatigue, gout, vascular occlusive event, hyperviscosity symptoms
6. High: Hb, packed cell volume, RBC, WBC, platelets
7. FBC, ABG, CXR, renal USS
8. Venesection, aspirin, reduce vaso-occlusive RFs, chemo to control
9. Increased EPO production, either:
Inappropriately, from renal/lung disease
Chronic hypoxia, from heart/lung disease or high altitude
30
Blood transfusion
1. Hb level for transfusion in most patients
2. For ACS patients
3. MHP 1st pack contents (+ product ratio)
4. Non-urgent blood transfusion - given over
5. When to take observations during transfusion
1. < 70 g/L - aim (70 - 90)
2. < 80 - aim (80 - 100)
3. 4x blood, 4x FFP (1:1 ratio)
4. 2-3 hours
5. 0, 15 mins and 30 mins
31
Venous disease
1. Valve reflux disease - risk factors (4)
2. Management
3. Varicose veins - definition
4. Saphina varix - definition
5. Lipodermatosclerosis - cause
1. FH, pregnancy, obesity, occupation
2. Compression stockings, ligation + stripping
3. Dilated subcutaneous vein with reversed blood flow
4. Dilation of saphenous vein at its junction with the femoral vein in the groin
5. Chronic venous hypertension leading to subcutaneous fat becoming fibrotic
32
Heparin/LMWH
1. Heparin - activates what, inhibits what
2. LMWH - examples
3. Activates what, inhibits what
4. Monitoring - heparin
5. Monitoring - LMWH
1. Activates antithrombin III, inhibits thrombin + factors 9/10/11/12a
2. Enoxaparin, dalteparin
3. Activates antithrombin III, inhibits factor Xa only
4. Activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT)
5. Anti-Factor Xa (routine monitoring not required)
33
Blood transfusions - reactions
1. Urticaria - cause
2. Management
3. Anaphylaxis - management
4. Acute haemolytic reaction - cause
5. Management
1. IgE reacting with foreign material
2. Slow transfusion rate, give antihistamine
3. ABCDE, stop infusion, oxygen, IM adrenaline, IV hydrocortisone, IV fluids
4. ABO incompatibility
5. STOP transfusion
34
Blood transfusions - product indications
1. Whole blood
2. Platelets
3. FFP
4. Cryoprecipitate
1. Bleeding
2. Active bleeding + thrombocytopaenia < 30 x10(9)/ L
3. Clotting problem
4. Clotting including fibrinogen
35
Blood film findings
1. Anisocytosis (varied RBC sizes)
2. Target cells (central pigment, pale outer)
3. Heinz bodies (denatured globin blobs in RBCs)
4. Howell-Jolly bodies (DNA material blobs in RBCs)
5. Reticulocytosis (large immature RBCs)
6. Schistocytes (RBC damaged fragments)
7. Sideroblasts (immature RBCs, contain iron)
8. Smudge cells (ruptured WBCs)
9. Spherocytes (RBC without biconcave disc space)
10. Reed-Sternberg cells
11. Auer rods
12. Rouleaux formation
1. Myelodisplastic syndromes, some anaemia
2. Iron deficiency anaemia, thalassaemia, post-splenectomy
3. G6PD deficiency, alpha-thalassaemia
4. Post-splenectomy, severe anaemia
5. Haemolytic anaemia, blood loss
6. HUS, DIC, TTP (metallic valves, haemolytic anaemia)
7. Myelodysplasic syndrome
8. Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia
9. Autoimmune haemolytic anaemia, hereditary spherocytosis
10. Hodgkin's lymphoma
11. Acute myeloid leukaemia
12. Multiple myeloma
36
Iron overload (haemochromatosis)
1. Blood results
2. Other causes of bloods suggesting iron overload (2)
1. High serum ferritin / iron / transferrin saturation
Low TIBC / serum transferrin
2. Iron supplementation
Acute liver damage (lots of iron is stored in the liver)
37
Hereditary spherocytosis
1. Inheritance
2. Presentation
3. Blood results
4. Management
5. Hereditary eliptocytosis (AD) - blood film
1. Autosomal dominant
2. Jaundice (intermittent), gallstones, failure to thrive, hepatosplenomegaly, aplastic crisis (parvovirus)
3. Spherocytes, reticulocytosis, raised mean corpuscular Hb concentration (MCHC)
4. Folate supplements, splenectomy, ? cholecystectomy
5. Ellipse not sphere-shaped - same signs/treatment
38
Autoimmune haemolytic anaemia
1. Pathophysiology
2. Classified by
3. Commonest type
4. Haemolysis location
5. Causes
6. Other type - aka, what happens
7. Haemolysis location
8. Causes
9. Management
1. Antibodies against RBCs
2. Temperature at which auto-antibodies destroy RBCs
3. Warm type
4. Extravascular (e.g. spleen)
5. SLE, CLL, lymphoma, methyldopa, idiopathic
6. Cold type (-10 C), cold agglutinin disease; antibodies agglutinate RBCs (complement mediated)
7. Intravascular
8. Lymphoma, mycoplasma, EBV, CMV, HIV
9. Blood transfusions, prednisolone, rituximab (anti-B cell), splenectomy
39
Thrombocytopaenia (low platelets)
1. Causes - production problems
2. Excessive destruction
3. Purpura - typical cause
4. Differentials to rule out in children (2)
5. Immune thrombocytopaenic purpura (ITP) - features
6. Clinical features (4)
7. Platelet level at which it should be treated
8. Treatment (2)
9. Thrombotic thrombocytopaenia purpura (TTP) - features
10. Protein with problem
11. Management
12. Heparin induced thrombocytopenia - cause
13. Effect
14. Management
1. Sepsis, low B12/folate, leukaemia, liver failure (reduced thrombopoietin production), myelodysplastic syndrome
2. Medications (valproate, methotrexate, isotretinoin, PPI), alcohol, ITP, TTP, heparin-induced, HUS
3. Low platelets
4. Meningococcal septicaemia, acute lymphoblastic leukaemia
5. Epistaxis, bruising under skin, menorrhagia, gingivitis
6. Antigens on platelet surface
7. <30
8. Prednisolone, IV IG
9. Small vessel clots use platelets (thrombocytopaenia), then break up (haemolytic anaemia)
10. ADAMTS13
11. Plasma exchange, steroids, rituximab
12. Anti-PF4/heparin (HIT) antibodies (post-heparin use)
13. Antibodies bind to platelets, activate clotting mechanisms, so hypercoagulable state + thrombosis. Platelets then break down, so thrombocytopenia
14. Stop heparin
40
Myelodysplastic syndrome
1. Types (3)
2. Commonest patient cohort
3. Symptoms (if not asymptomatic)
1. Single lineage - refractory anaemia
Multilineage - refractory anaemia, neutropaenia, thrombocytopaenia
Excess blasts - higher risk of developing AML
2. >60, previous chemo/radiotherapy
3. Anaemia (pale, fatigue, SOB)
Neutropaenia (frequent/severe infections)
Thrombocytopaenia (purpura, bleeding)