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Haemotology > Haemolytic Anaemias > Flashcards

Haemolytic Anaemias Flashcards

1
Q
  1. Define haemolytic anaemia.
A

Anaemia caused by shortened red cell survival

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2
Q
  1. List some examples of extra-vascular haemolysis.
A

Autoimmune haemolytic anaemia

Hereditary spherocytosis

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3
Q
  1. List some examples of intra-vascular haemolysis.
A 
Malaria 
G6PD deficiency 
Pyruvate kinase deficiency 
Mismatched blood transfusion 
MAHA 
Paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria
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4
Q
  1. What is paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria caused by?
A

An acquired defect in the GPI anchor which is one of two mechanisms by which cells attach proteins to their surface

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5
Q
  1. List some consequences of haemolytic anaemia.
A 
Anaemia 
Erythroid hyperplasia 
Increased folate demand 
Susceptibility to parvovirus B19 infection 
Propensity to gallstones 
Increased risk of iron overload 
Increased risk of osteoporosis
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6
Q
  1. Why is parvovirus B19 infection dangerous in patients with haemolytic anaemia?
A

It infects erythroid cells in the bone marrow and arrests their maturation
If this happens in someone with shortened red cell survival, it can cause a dramatic drop in Hb (aplastic crisis)
NOTE: this can be identified by observing a low reticulocyte count

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7
Q
  1. Why do people with haemolytic anaemia have an increased risk of developing gallstones?
  2. Co-inheritance of which condition could further increase the risk of gallstones?
A

Increased generation of bilirubin

Gilberts

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8
Q
  1. Describe the genetic cause of Gilbert’s syndrome.
A

Caused by the UGT TA7/TA7 genotype
This means that instead of the usual 6 TA repeats, there is an extra dinucleotide on each allele which is associated with reduced transcription of UGT 1A1 and, consequently, reduced production of enzyme in the liver and less efficient bilirubin conjugation

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9
Q
  1. Why is there an increased risk of iron overload with haemolytic anaemia?
A

Increased intestinal iron absorption (also due to transfusions)

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10
Q
  1. List some clinical features of haemolytic anaemia.
A 
Pallor 
Jaundice 
Splenomegaly 
Family history 
Pigmenturia
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11
Q
  1. List some laboratory features of haemolytic anaemia.
A 
Anaemia 
Increased reticulocytes 
Polychromasia 
Increased LDH 
Increased bilirubin 
Reduced/absent haptoglobins 
Haemoglobinuria 
Haemosiderinuria
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12
Q
  1. What is polychromasia?
A

Red cells take up both eosinophilic and basophilic dye giving them a bluish appearance – this is due to the presence of reticulocytes

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13
Q
  1. What is increased LDH a marker of?
A

LDH is an enzyme found in high concentrations within red cells
Increased LDH suggests intravascular haemolysis

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14
Q
  1. What are haptoglobins? What is the significance of reduced haptoglobins?
A

Haptoglobins are proteins in the bloodstream that bind to and remove free haemoglobin from the bloodstream
Low haptoglobins suggests that there is a lot of free haemoglobin in the bloodstream

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15
Q
  1. Which stains are used for haemosiderinaemia?
A

Perl’s stain

Prussian blue stain

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16
Q
  1. What does the presence of haemoglobinuria and haemosiderinaemia imply?
A

Intravascular haemolysis

17
Q
  1. What is the hall mark of red cells in hereditary spherocytosis?
A

Osmotic fragility – red cells show increases sensitivity to lysis in hypotonic saline

18
Q
  1. Describe the appearance of the blood film in hereditary spherocytosis.
A

The cells lack a central area of pallor because they have lost the biconcave shape
The cells are small and more densely stained
There may be polychromatic cells (due to the presence of a young red cell population)

19
Q
  1. Outline the blood film and FBC features of eliptocytosis.
A

The red cells are elliptical but there is no polychromasia and the blood count is likely to be normal because there is little haemolysis

20
Q
  1. Describe the appearance of the blood film in eliptocytosis.
A

Fragmentation of red cells and a lot of variation in the shape of red cells (poikilocytosis)
It can cause severe haemolytic anaemia

21
Q
  1. Describe the inheritance pattern of G6PD deficiency.
A

X-linked recessive

22
Q
  1. Outline the importance of G6PD in the red cell.
A

G6PD catalyses the first step in the pentose phosphate pathway
This reaction generates NADPH which is required to maintain intracellular glutathione
Glutathione protects red cells against oxidative stress
A lack of G6PD, means that red cells are at increased risk of oxidative damage

23
Q

list the possible clinical effects of G6PD deficiency.

A

Neonatal jaundice
Acute haemolysis
Chronic haemolytic anaemia (rare)

24
Q
  1. List some triggers for haemolysis in G6PD deficiency.
A

Drugs (antimalarials, antibiotics, dapsone, vitamin K)
Infections
Fava beans
Naphthalene mothballs

25
Q
  1. Describe the appearance of the blood film in G6PD deficiency during acute haemolysis.
A

Contracted cells
Nucleated red cells
Bite cells
Hemighosts (Hb retracted to one side of the cell)

26
Q
  1. What is a Heinz body? What is it suggestive of?
A

Denatured haemoglobin

Suggestive of oxidative haemolysis

27
Q
  1. Which stain is used to look for Heinz bodies?
A

Methylviolet

28
Q
  1. What is the role of pyruvate kinase in red cells?
A

Part of the glycolytic pathway

29
Q
  1. What is a characteristic blood film feature of pyruvate kinase deficiency?
A

Echinocytes – red cells with a lot of short projections
NOTE: as the cells decrease in size due to dehydration, the cells will resemble spherocytes. The number of echinocytes usually increases post-splenectomy

30
Q
  1. Describe how pyrimidine 5-nucleotidase deficiency leads to haemolytic anaemia.
A

Defect in nucleotide metabolism
Pyrimidine nucleotides are toxic to the cell but the cell must recycle purines
This means that red cells have a mechanism for selectively eliminating pyrimidines – this is dependent on pyrimidine 5-nucleotidase
Deficiency of pyrimidine 5-nucleotidase leads to an accumulation of toxic pyrimidines

31
Q
  1. What is a characteristic blood film feature of pyrimidine 5-nucleotidase deficiency?
A

Basophilic stippling

NOTE: this is also seen in lead poisoning because lead inhibits pyrimidine 5-nucleotidase

32
Q
  1. What are Ham’s test and flow cytometry for GPI-linked proteins used for?
A

Paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria

NOTE: Ham’s test looks at the sensitivity of red cells to lysis by acidified serum

33
Q
  1. Outline the principles of management of haemolytic anaemia.
A

Folic acid supplementation
Avoidance of triggers in G6PD deficiency
Blood transfusions/exchange
Immunisations against blood-borne viruses
Monitor for chronic complications (e.g. gallstones)
Splenectomy if needed

34
Q
  1. List some indications for splenectomy related to haemolytic anaemia.
A 
Pyruvate kinase deficiency 
Hereditary spherocytosis 
Severe eliptocytosis/pyropoikilocytosis 
Thalassemia syndromes 
Autoimmune haemolytic anaemia
35
Q
  1. What is the main risk of splenectomy?
A

Overwhelming sepsis due to susceptibility to capsulated bacteria (e.g. pneumococcus)
NOTE: risk can be reduced by using penicillin prophylaxis and immunisations

36
Q
  1. List some specific criteria for splenectomy.
A 
Transfusion dependence 
Growth delay 
Physical limitation 
Hypersplenism (where it causes pooling and physical symptoms) 
Age > 3 years and < 10 years

Haemotology (1 decks)

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