a case of anaemia lent term year 1. the case 21 year old afro-caribbean man admitted with abdominal...
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A Case of Anaemia
Lent term year 1
The case
• 21 year old Afro-Caribbean man
• Admitted with abdominal pain and priapism
Priapus: son of Aphrodite
Why does this occur?
Sickle Cell Disease• Sickle cell disease is a common haemolytic
disorder in black races.
• It is due to the presence of HbS, caused by a single base mutation from adenine to thymine on Chromosome 11. This produces a substitution of valine for glutamine at the 6th codon of the -globin chain.
Haemoglobin
• Normal adult Hb (HbA) consists of 2 and 2 polypeptide globin chains. These fold in a quaternary structure to enfold a haem group. Hb S is less soluble than Hb A and, when deoxygenated, undergoes polymerisation, leading to the formation of sickle shaped cells.
What is the cause of his symptoms?
Symptoms in Sickle cell disease:• Vascular occlusion due to sickle cells lodging in
capillaries. This can occur in any part of the body, causing a “sickle crisis”.
• Typically these can cause bone pain, pleuritic pain, cerebral infarcts, priapism and hepatic pain with fever.
• Long term complications can occur, including susceptibility to strp. Pneumoniae infection, chronic leg ulcers, aseptic necrosis of bone, blindness and chronic renal disease. Gallstones occur from pigment due to persistent haemolysis.
Sickle cells block the capillaries
Also:
• A normal blood cell lives for around 120 days
• Sickle cells do not live as long, and break up more easily (Haemolysis)
• This leads to a chronic state of anaemia
What investigations would you arrange?
Investigations• A full blood count: Hb 6-8g/dl with high
reticulocyte count.• Blood film: Sickling of rbcs induced by
sodium metabisulphite. Sickledex is a commercial test where sodium dithionite gives a turbid appearance to HbS, wheras normal Hb remains clear.
• Hb electrophoresis. No HbA, 80-95% Hb SS, 2-20% HbF
Sickle cell testing
electrophoresis
What is the immediate treatment?
treatment
• Maintain hydration with IV fluids,
• oxygen via face mask
• analgesia, usually with opiates.
• Consider underlying cause, such as sepsis.
• Priapism may be treated with normal saline washouts of corpora cavernosa and direct injection with adrenergic agent, such as methoxamine or phenylephrine (unlicenced).
What about other causes of anaemia??
Classification of anaemia:1. Haemoglobinopathies
2. Haemolytic- blood cells breaking up
3. Aplastic- blood cells not being made
4. Blood loss
5. Nutrient deficiency
Haemoglobinopathies: remember normal adult Hb has 2 α and 2β
chains• Sickle cell Disease HbS: both β chains
abnormal
• Sickle cell “trait” heterozygous form. OK unless stressed in oxygen requirements e.g scuba diving, GA
• Sickle SC disease
• Thalassaemia
Thalassaemia
• Underproduction of one or more of the globin chains
• α Thal: underproduction of α chains• Β Thal: underproduction of β chains• May have traits (heterozygous)- usually healthy• May have Hb SThal• See
http://www.europeanhbregistry.org.uk/information/thalassaemia.html
Haemolytic Disease: congenital• Sickle cell
• Spherocytosis: autosomal dominant
• G6PD deficiency (fava beans)
Haemolytic disease: acquired• Haemolytic disease of newborn (Rhesus
disease)
• Drug-induced e.g penicillin, quinine
• Autoimmune
• Infection e.g malaria
• Alloimmune: blood transfusion reactions
Aplastic anaemia: failure of bone marrow
• Congenital: Fanconi’s anaemia
• Acquired: autoimmmune
viral e.g. parvovirus in fetus
drugs e.g. chloramphenicol
chemotherapy
radiation
• Make diagnosis by examining the bone marrow
Blood loss (acute or chronic)• Many diseases cause chronic blood loss:
peptic ulceration
menorrhagia
worm infestation
carcinoma of colon (esp. caecum)
Nutrient deficiency• Iron- may be linked to chronic blood loss
or malabsorption as well as diet Most common
• B12- may be linked to malabsorption e.g coeliac disease , pernicious anaemia (auto-immune disease with antibodies to intrinsic factor)
• Folate- poor diet, drugs e.g Trimethoprim, malabsorption e.g coeliac, Crohn’s
Sources of iron: red meat, eggs, chocolate, wine, cereals.
Bioavailability may be affected by other foods
B12: meat products especially liver. Also shellfish
Folic acid: fruit & veg