This document provides an overview of anemia, including:
- Definitions of anemia and the role of erythropoietin and reticulocytes in hematopoiesis.
- Methods for classifying and evaluating anemia based on etiology, morphology, history, and physical exam findings.
- Discussion of specific types of anemia like iron deficiency anemia, thalassemia, sideroblastic anemia, and anemia of chronic disease. Diagnostic tests and treatment approaches are also covered.
Introduction by Dr. Dujana Kadeeja Ashraf on the topic of anemia.
Anemia is a decrease in red blood cell mass, defined by Hb levels and indicates an underlying disease.
Hematopoiesis overview and role of Erythropoietin (EPO) in red blood cell production.
Reticulocyte characteristics, counting methods and corrections for reticulocyte production index.
Anemia classification based on etiology (blood loss, production issues, hemolysis) and morphology.
Approach to evaluate anemia through history, physical examination and lab investigations.
Details on symptoms of anemia based on acute and chronic conditions, including specific histories.
Key physical examination findings to diagnose anemia, including checks for pallor and associated features.
Observational signs relating to cardiovascular, respiratory and CNS in anemia patients.
Classification of microcytic anemia including types such as iron deficiency and thalassemias.
Common causes and risk factors for iron deficiency anemia including loss, intake issues, and requirements.
Stages of iron deficiency leading to anemia, outlining negative balance to the actual deficiency.
Lab tests including serum iron, TIBC, ferritin and bone marrow assessments for anemia.
Bone marrow biopsy as definitive test; identifying underlying etiologies for iron deficiency.
Oral iron therapy details, response timelines, and treatment goals for iron deficiency anemia.
Indications for parenteral iron therapy and calculations for total iron requirement.
Indications and benefits of red blood cell transfusions in severe anemia cases.
General introduction to other hypoproliferative anemias.
Inherited disorders linked to Hgb synthesis, including types and diagnostic features.
Treatment options for thalassemia, including transfusions and iron chelation therapy.
Mentzer index criteria for identifying thalassemia via MCV/RBC ratio.
Characteristics, etiology and findings in sideroblastic anemia, including lab results.
Overview of treatments available for sideroblastic anemia.
Factors leading to anemia of chronic disease associated with various chronic conditions.Classification of macrocytic anemia into megaloblastic and non-megaloblastic types with causes.
Diagnostic characteristics and laboratory findings for macrocytic anemia, including vitamin deficiencies.
Details on treatment regimens for B12 and folate deficiencies and their linked effects.
Overview of hemolytic anemia, including its classifications based on origin.
Laboratory indicators of hemolysis, including bilirubin levels and peripheral blood smear findings.Thank you and referenced materials related to the presentation on anemia.
Definition
• Defined asa decrease in circulating red blood cell mass- Hb less than 12g/dl
or Hct <36% for non pregnant women and Hb< 13g/dl or Hct <39% in men
• Anemia is basically an objective sign of disease and needs further evaluation
to determine the underlying cause and appropriate treatment.
ERYTHROPOIETIN
• Glycoprotein hormone
•Produced by peri tubular capillary lining of cells in kidney
• Small amount by liver
• EPO gene regulation is done by HIF 1alpha
5.
RETICULOCYTES
• They areprematurely released RBCs from the bone marrow
• Appear in circulation due to EPO stimulation or bone marrow damage(fibrosis,
infiltration by malignant cells)
• Appear greyish blue due to residual ribosomal RNA
• Reticulocyte count - 1-2 %
6.
CORRECTION
• RC% =(No. of reticulocytes/RBC) X 100
• First correction - CRC
• CRC = (Hb/15) x RC OR (Hct/45)x RC
• This is done to correct reticulocyte count based on the reduced number of
RBCs
7.
Second correction
• Thisis done if there are polychromatophilic macrocytes
• They are known as shift cells - prematurely released reticulocytes
• CRC/2 (correction factor can be 1-3)
• This is known as reticulocyte production index (RPI)
8.
CLASSIFICATION
• ETIOLOGICAL-
• Bloodloss - acute and chronic
• Decreased RBC production
• Increased RBC destruction (Hemolysis)
• MORPHOLOGICAL
• Microcytic when MCV is less than 80fl
• Normocytic-MCV IS 80-96 fl
• Macrocytic - MCV more than 96fl
8
HISTORY
• Acute -Patientwith abrupt onset of anemia tolerate diminished RBC mass
poorly.Experience symptoms of fatigue, malaise, dyspnea, syncope angina
• Chronic anemia are usually less symptomatic.Experience symptoms with
increased activity or exertion.
• CVS AND PULMONARY FEATURES-
• Exertional fatigue,
• dizziness, palpitations
• Angina
• Symptoms of cardiac failure
11.
• GI FEATURES
•occult bleeding (Malena)
• PICA (consumption of substances of no nutritional value like ice, clay)
• Dysphagia in pernicious anemia
12.
• CNS FEATURES
•Peripheral neuropathy,paresthesia,seizures (Vit B12 def )
• confusion
• dementia
• Restless leg syndrome (IDA)
13.
• OBSTETRIC ANDMENSTRUAL HISTORY- symptoms of menorrhagia
• PAST HISTORY- GI surgery ,gastric atrophy, renal disease,rheumatologic
disease, history of blood transfusion
• Hookworm infection
• FAMILY HISTORY - hemoglobinopathies
• DRUG INTAKE -
• DIETARY INTAKE- vegetarian/non vegetarian,PICA
• Symptoms suggestive of other cytopenias like bruising,recurrent infections
14.
PHYSICAL EXAMINATION
• Vitals- PR and BP
• HEAD TO FOOT EXAMINATION
• Pallor- Is examined at lower palpebral conjunctiva, palms, tongue, mucous
membrane of mouth, Nail bed skin
• scleral icterus- haemolytic anemia
• Glossitis - pernicious anemia
• lymphadenopathy
• Sternal tenderness
15.
• Koilonychia -iron defieciency anemia
• Petechia in skin- suggests of bone marrow failure or anemia due to bleeding disorde
• Chronic leg ulcers- sickle cell anaemia, hereditary spherocytosis
• THALASSEMIA FEATURES
17.
• knuckle hyperpigmentation-
•CVS
• signs of congestive cardiac failure
• flow murmur
• RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
• Wheeze in acute chest syndrome
• PAH due to vascular occlusion in sickle cell anaemia
18.
• CNS
• Ataxia
•decreased vibratory and position sense
• GIT
• Splenomegaly- extra medullary hematopoiesis
IRON DEFICIENCY ANEMIA
•Mcc of anemia
• usually chronic with a low reticulocyte count
• causes-1.Increased iron loss -GI loss, menses, hookworm infection,
• 2. decreased iron intake or absorption - bariatric surgery, gastrectomy,
crohn’s disease, celiac disease
• 3. increased iron requirement - pregnancy, rapid growth in infancy or
adolescence
• 4.Drugs - glucocorticoids,NSAIDs,proton pump inhibitors
LAB
• S Feand TIBC
• S Ferritin low
• Bone marrow iron stores
• Red cell protoporphyrin levels
• S levels of transferrin receptor protein
26.
• DIAGNOSTIC TESTS
•Bone marrow biopsy shows absent staining to iron is the definitive test to
diagnose
• ID IS NOT THE FINAL DIAGNOSIS, IT IS INDICATIVE OF AN UNDERLYING
ETIOLOGY
27.
TREATMENT
• Oral irontherapy -
• ferrous sulphate is the most common prescribed formulation
• Dosage - 100-200mg of elemental iron per day (50mg/day)
• with normal bone marrow and normal EPO stimulus this results in RBC production of
• 2-3 times of normal
• Goal of treatment is to correct anemia +0.5-1g for stores
• Duration is 6-12 months
28.
• Reticulocyte responsebegins in 4-7 days
• Reticulocyte response peeks in 1-1.5 weeks
• Increase in Hb 14-21 days
• Normal iron stores 4-5 months
• Absence of response – rule out compliance , absorption issues
29.
• Parenteral irontherapy -
• Indications-
• Inadequate response to oral iron
• poor absorption
• intolerance to oral preparation
• Need for rapid response
• Persistant bleeding
• GI causes- bariatric surgery,celiac sprue
• Organ dysfunction - CKD,
30.
• Total ironrequirement-
• MODIFIED GANZONI FORMULA- weight x (15-hb) x 2.4+ 500
• IV PREPARATIONS
• First generation- iron dextran
• Second generation - iron sucrose, ferric gluconate
• Third - ferumoxytol,ferric carboy maltose, iron isomaltoside
31.
• RED CELLTRANSFUSION
• Indications
• severe anemia with hemodynamic instability
• excessive blood loss which needs an immediate intervention
• ADVANTAGES
• can correct anemia acutely
• transfused RBC provide a source of iron for reutilisation
THALASSEMIA
• Inherited disorderscharacterised by reduced Hgb synthesis associated with
mutations in either alpha or beta gene of molecule
• BETA THALASSEMIA - decreased production of beta globin chain that results
in excess alpha globin chain synthesis forming insoluble alpha tetramers
which leads to ineffective erythropoiesis
• ALPHA THALASSEMIA - Due to deletion of one or more alpha globin chains
leading to beta globin excess
34.
• DIAGNOSIS
• Peripheralsmear - microcytic hypochromic RBCs with target cells, tear
drop cells (s/o extra medullary heamtopoiesis)
• DIAGNOSTIC -Hgb electrophoresis ( increased percentage of Hgb A2
and HgbF )
• For alpha thalassemia - alpha globin gene analysis
35.
• TREATMENT
• Insevere forms of the disease- RBC transfusions done to maintain an Hb level o
• coupled with oral iron chelation to prevent accumulation of iron
• Repeated transfusions can lead to iron overload
• Iron chelation therapy is indicated when ferritin is consistently >1000 ng/ml
oral - deferasirox,deferiprone
IV- deferoxamine
• Hydroxyurea - to increase HgbF
36.
• To improveineffective erythropoiesis - Luspatercept (enhances late stage
erythropoiesis) given s/c 1mg/kg every 3 weeks
SIDEROBLASTIC ANEMIA
• Characterisedby abnormal iron metabolism associated with the presence of ring
sideroblasts in the developing RBCs
• ETIOLOGY
• ACQUIRED
• Primary sideroblastic anemia (MDS)
• Secondary sideroblastic anemia is caused by
• drugs like chloramphenicol,cycloserine,ethanol,isoniazid,
• lead and zinc toxicity
• HEREDITARY
• X linked-ALA synthetase deficiency
39.
• Fe profile- all increases except TIBC
• Peripheral smear - Papenheimer bodies- siderocyte stained with ramonowsky
stain due to non heme iron deposition
• Marrow iron stores increase
Investigations
MACROCYTIC ANEMIA
• Groupof disorders characterised by presence of distinctive morphological
appearances of developing red cells in bone marrow.
• Can be
1. Megaloblastic - nuclear maturation defect
2. Non megaloblastic - nuclear maturation normal
DIAGNOSIS
• MCV high
•Earliest PS finding is macro ovalocyte
• PS- anisocytosis,poikilocytosis
• hypersegmented neutrophil (>5 lobes)
• leucopenia due to decrease in granulocyte and lymphocyte
• BONE MARROW - hypercellular with accumulation of primitive cells
• megaloblasts
• giant band forms
• enlarged hyperploid megakaryocyte are characteristic
COBALAMIN DEFICIENCY
1. S.cobalamin- normal range -148-738pmol/l
2. S MMA - used for early diagnosis of cobalamin deficiency
3. S Homocysteine -high in both early cobalamin and folate deficiency
TREATMENT OF B12AND FOLATE DEFICIENCY
• B12 for replenishing stores - 1000mcg IM inj at 3-7 day interval for 8 weeks.
• Maintenance dose - 1000mcg IM monthly
• oral doses 50mcg daily
• Folate - 5 to 15 mg FA daily at least 4 months till all folate deficient cells are
replaced
• Folinic acid - mtx/DHF reductase inhibitors
54.
In megaloblastic anemia,when only FA is corrected,
• Anemia is corrected due to tetrahydrofolate formation from FA .
• Neurological manifestations worsen as methionine
is not formed ( methyl B12 absent)
55.
HEMOLYTIC ANEMIA
• Thereis premature destruction of RBC so to compensate there is increase in
production capacity of RBCs by bone marrow
• When the rate of production exceeds the bone marrow capacity of producing
more will manifest as haemolytic anemia