Hematology—Introduction to the Anemias

This is a basic review of the various types of anemia.

Excerpts

Anemia
   Anemia is a deficiency of RBCs characterized by a deficiency of hemoglobin.  The oxygen carrying capacity of hemoglobin is reduced.  Clinical manifestations depend on severity, rapidity of development, patient’s age, health, and compensatory mechanisms

Signs and Symptoms
 
1)   Fatigue
2)   Weakness
3)   Dyspnea
4)   Headache
5)   Palpitations
6)   Syncope
7)   Angina
8)   Night Cramps
9)   Pallor
10)   Tachycardia
11)   Flow murmur
...
Hemolytic Anemias
   Hemolytic anemias are characterized by an increase in RBC destruction in the bone marrow, liver, and spleen.  Can be: 1) Intrinsic – a defect of the RBC membrane, hemoglobinopathy, or enzyme defects 2) Extrinsic – drugs, toxins, or antibodies.  Because the RBC is destroyed early, the RBC has a decreased life span and lower number of reticulocytes...

Thalassemia
   Thalassemia is a hereditary hemolytic anemia.  There is a defect in the synthesis or complete deletion of one or more globin chains.  The unaffected chain continues to be synthesized, leading to an excess in the other chain.  This leads to an unpaired globin chain which will eventually destroy the RBC, leading to decreased production of hemoglobin...

Hi Andy ,
Nice and infomative introduction to Anemia , it's quit easy to understand .. Thanx Buddy

Umair

Globin chains  I will have a look in the English medical dictionary later...

I am missing an enzyme called puryvate.

Andy, later I will post my tips of things we should read about this part of science.

Everyday I learn something new about our diseases. I must confess that I like that fact. 

i agree with you peartree, i like to know the science part of Thalassaemia. before finding his site, i would ask the docs to borrow their medical books and read about thalassaemia 

and later on, i would try and look for info's at the library or big bookstores he..he..

but the info's i get here is way much more that i dont look for it anywhere else anymore.

Thanks to andy for puting up this site.

I knew it, but my head wasn't working well. Someone advised me to by that book. Andy, is it useful to buy that book?

NUR: in post the uk protocol for patients with thal in the document area. It's pretty interesting.

Is there also a book by that name? (Hematology—Introduction to the Anemias).

Also, globin chains refer to the alpha and beta globin that combine to make hemoglobin. The alpha globin gene is responsible for production of alpha globin and the beta globin gene is responsible for production of beta globin. In thalassemia, the alpha or beta globin genes are affected and do not produce the normal amount of that globin, which results in less of that globin, so the normal amount of hemoglobin cannot be produced. Dore, this differs from pyruvate kinase deficiency, in that sufficient red blood cells are not produced. In pyruvate kinase deficiency, the red blood cells are produced in normal quantities but break down too quickly because of a lack of an enzyme, leaving the patient with mild to severe anemia. The result can be the same as with thalassemia and transfusions can be required to maintain hemoglobin levels. So, even though the cause of pyruvate kinase deficiency is a different defective genes than with thalassemia, the results are very similar.

Dear Peartree,

Where can i find the post? is it on the UKTS webite? under what topic?

Nur: http://www.thalassemiapatientsandfriends.com/index.php?topic=2308.0

Andy, thank you for your explanantion. I do understand it better now. Btw, there was a baby at my previous hospital (6 years ago?) and his muscles were also affected by the lack of pk. Pretty strange. If I feel bad, like now, I try to be think about that poor baby. My health is better than his, I guess.

Untill now my image of thal wasn't clearly like this.