Red Blood Cell Disorders Quiz

Anemias: Reduction in Red Blood Cells

• Anemia occurs when the rate of RBC production falls below that of cell destruction or loss of RBCs, causing low hemoglobin levels and reduced RBC count.

Normochromic Normocytic Anemias

• Impaired production of erythrocytes by the bone marrow or abnormal/uncompensated loss of RBCs causes normochromic normocytic anemias.
• RBCs appear normal in color and size, but there are too few for effective oxygen transport.

Acute Blood-Loss Anemia

• Caused by sufficient blood loss to lead to anemia, such as:
• Trauma (internal bleeding)
• Acute nephritis (blood lost in urine)
• Placenta previa, maternal-fetal or twin-to-twin transfusion
• Trauma to cord or placenta (newborn)
• Intestinal parasites (tapeworm, hookworm) in children
• Bedbug bites in small infants
• Signs and symptoms:
• Pale
• Tachycardia
• Increased respiration rate
• Gasping respirations
• Intercostal retractions
• Cyanosis
• Inactive
• Dizziness
• Comatose
• Treatment:
• Control bleeding by addressing its underlying cause
• Transfuse additional RBCs
• Lay the child flat to increase circulation to brain cells
• Keep the child warm with blankets or radiant heat warmer
• Administer blood expanders (plasma or intravenous fluids) until blood is available for transfusion

Anemia of Acute Infection

• Caused by acute infection or inflammation, especially in infants, leading to increased destruction or decreased production of RBCs.
• Examples of acute infections:
• Osteomyelitis
• Ulcerative colitis
• Management:
• Treat the underlying condition
• Blood values will return to normal when the condition is reversed

Anemia of Renal Disease

• Acute or chronic renal disease can cause loss of function in kidney cells, leading to decreased erythropoietin production and normocytic, normochromic anemia.
• Treatment:
• Administer recombinant human erythropoietin to increase RBC production

Anemia of Neoplastic Disease

• Leukemia and lymphoma can cause normochromic, normocytic anemias due to bone marrow invasion by neoplastic cells.
• Accompanying blood loss may occur if platelet formation is also decreased.
• Treatment:
• Achieve remission of the neoplastic process
• Transfusion to increase erythrocyte count

Anemia of Hypersplenism

• Enlarged spleen leads to increased destruction of RBCs, causing anemia and potentially pancytopenia.
• Underlying splenic conditions can cause this syndrome.
• Treatment:
• Treat the underlying splenic disorder
• Possible splenectomy

Aplastic Anemias

• Result from depression of hematopoietic activity in the bone marrow, affecting WBCs, platelets, and RBCs.
• Examples:
• Congenital aplastic anemia (Fanconi syndrome), inherited as an autosomal recessive trait, with congenital anomalies such as skeletal and renal abnormalities, hypogenitalism.

Test your knowledge on disorders related to red blood cells such as anemias and polycythemia. Understand the causes, symptoms, and characteristics of different types of anemias and conditions affecting erythrocytes.