Anemia Part II
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Transcript Anemia Part II
ANEMIA - PART II
Anemia of Chronic Inflammation
BY: Zorawar Noor
4/21/2014
Objectives
Understand the pathogenesis of anemia of
chronic inflammation (ACI)
Review 4 Simple Laboratory Steps to diagnose
anemia (from Part I)
Learn the characteristics lab findings of ACI
Learn how to find coexisting iron deficiency
When to Suspect Anemia of
Chronic Inflammation?
In inflammatory, infectious, and malignant
conditions (RA, SLE, osteomyelitis…)
In cases with normocytic and normochromic
anemia (usually mild and asymptomatic)
Pathogenesis
Inflammatory cytokine release (IL-6) triggers:
Hepcidin
Hepcidin decreases iron absorption in GI tract, and
makes macrophages hold onto iron
Bone marrow is hypoproliferative despite having
slightly increased EPO levels
EPO levels are not as high as they should be
Unlike in iron deficiency anemia, where peripheral
RBCs gain a longer circulating half-life, there is shorter
RBC life span.
4 Steps to Classify Anemia
(Review from Part I)
Step 1 – Characterize by MCV
Microcytic, normocytic, macrocytic
Step 2 - Identify Morphologies on Peripheral Smear
E.g. hypochromia, bite cells, etc.
Step 3 – Calculate Reticulocyte Index
Reticulocyte Index (RI) = ReticCount * 0.5(Hct/45)
Step 4 – Use iron studies, bone marrow biopsy, etc.
See presentation “Anemia, Part I” for more explanation of
each step
Diagnosis
History: collagen vascular diseases,
malignancies, osteomyelitis, etc.
Step 1) MCV initially normal
Step 2) if chronic, can see mirocytosis and
hypochromia
Step 3) Low Retic Count
Step 4) normal or low iron, low TIBC, high ferritin
Iron Studies in ACI
Finding in Anemia of
Chronic Inflammation
Fe
Mildly low
TIBC
Low
% Sat
Mildly low
Ferritin
High – very high
MKSAP Case 2
A 22-year old woman undergoes a new patient
evaluation. She was recently diagnosed with SLE.
Her menstrual pattern is normal, and her medical
history is otherwise noncontributory, her only
medications are hydroxychloroquine and a
multivitamin.
On Physical exam: T37.2C, BP 126/78, P88, RR17,
and the patient has a malar rash, thinning hair, but
no joint abnormalities, oral lesions, pericardial or
pleural rubs, or heart murmurs.
Laboratory studies: Hgb 8.2, WBC 3900, Ferritin 556,
Iron 18, Retic Count 2%, TIBC 180, Transferrin sat
10%, and creatinine 1.0.
…MKSAP Case 2
…MKSAP Case 2
Which of the following is the most likely
diagnosis?
(A) inflammatory anemia
(B) iron deficiency
(C) microangiopathic hemolytic anemia
(D) Warm Ab-associated hemolysis
Answer Explanation
History of SLE
Step 1) MCV is low late in inflammatory anemia
Step 2) Hypochromia is noticeable, also late finding
Step 3) low RI is consistent with Inflammatory Anemia
Step 4) Ferritin is high from inflammation, TIBC is low (
think of iron being stored away from pathogens
needing it for their own use through hepcidin)
Finding Coexisting Iron
Deficiency
Transferrin will often be reduced, not increased like it is
in iron deficiency anemia (IDA)
Unlike usual Inflammatory anemia,
Soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR)-ferritin index
Ration of the sTfR to logarithm of ferritin
If index <1.0 suggests pure inflammatory anemia
If index >2.0, could be IDA or combination
Bone Marrow biopsy (macrophages with iron in ACD)
Summary
Just approach it one step at a time!
Remember the pathogenesis of ACI, cytokines
cause hypo-proliferation and low-iron because
it stays in macrophages
Always watch out for coexisting iron deficiency
Treat the underlying cause.
References
Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine
Adamson JW. Chapter 103. Iron Deficiency and Other
Hypoproliferative Anemias. In: Longo DL, Fauci AS, Kasper
DL, Hauser SL, Jameson JL, Loscalzo J, eds. Harrison's
Principles of Internal Medicine. 18th ed. New York: McGrawHill; 2012.
http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=91172
23. Accessed December 7, 2011
Wians, F.H. and Urban JE. “Discriminating between
Anemia of Chronic disease Using Traditional Indices of
Iron Status v. Transferring Receptor Concentration”.
2001. American Journal of Clinical Pathology. Volume
115.
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