Hypochromic anemia
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
Overview
Hypochromic anemia is a form of anemia characterized by a disproportionate reduction of red cell hemoglobin in proportion to the volume of the erythrocyte and an increased area of central pallor in the red cells.
Acquired forms
Hypochromic anemia may be caused by iron deficiency from a low iron intake, diminished iron absorption, or excessive iron loss. It can also be caused by infections or other diseases, therapeutic drugs such as Meropenem, and lead poisoning. One acquired form of anemia is also known as Faber's syndrome. It may also occur from severe stomach or intestinal bleeding caused by ulcers or medications such as aspirin.[1]
Hereditary forms
It can also occur in certain forms of congenital developmental disorders, like Benjamin syndrome.
Differentiating Hypochromic Anemia from Other Diseases
To review the differential diagnosis of anemia, click here.
Disease | Genetics | Clinical manifestation | Lab findings | |||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
History | Symptoms | Signs | Hemolysis | Intrinsic/Extrinsic | Hb concentration | MCV | RDW | Reticulocytosis | Haptoglobin levels | Hepcidin | Iron studies | Specific finding on blood smear | ||||||
Serum iron | Serum Tfr level | Transferrin or TIBC | Ferritin | Transferrin saturation | ||||||||||||||
Iron deficiency anemia[2] | − |
|
− | − | Hypochromic | Microcytic | ↑ | Nl or ↓ | Nl | Nl | ↓ | ↑ | ↑ | ↓ | ↓↓↓ |
| ||
Lead poisoning[3] | − |
|
|
|
− | − | Hypochromic | Microcytic | Nl | Nl or ↓ | Nl | Nl | Nl to ↓ | Nl | Nl | Nl to ↓ | − | |
Sideroblastic anemia[4] |
|
|
|
|
− | − | Hypochromic | Microcytic | Nl | Nl or ↓ | Nl | Nl | ↑ | Nl | Nl to ↓ | ↑ | − |
|
Anemia of chronic disease[5] | − | − | − | − | Hypochromic | Microcytic | Nl | Nl or ↓ | Nl | ↑ | ↓ | Nl | ↓ | ↑ | − | NA | ||
Thalassemia[6] | α-thalassemia
|
|
α-thalassemia
|
− | − | Hypochromic | Microcytic | Nl |
|
Nl | Nl | Nl to ↑ | Nl | Nl | ↑ | Nl to ↑ |
| |
Disease | Genetics | History | Symptoms | Signs | Hemolysis | Intrinsic/Extrinsic | Hb concentration | MCV | RDW | Reticulocytosis | Haptoglobin levels | Hepcidin | Serum iron | Serum Tfr level | IBC | Ferritin | Transferrin saturation | Specific finding on blood smear |
References
- ↑ Miale JB (1982). Laboratory Medicine: Hematology. (6th ed.) The CV Mosby Company, St. Louis ISBN 1-125-44734-6
- ↑ Camaschella C (May 2015). "Iron-deficiency anemia". N. Engl. J. Med. 372 (19): 1832–43. doi:10.1056/NEJMra1401038. PMID 25946282.
- ↑ Bain BJ (December 2014). "Lead poisoning". Am. J. Hematol. 89 (12): 1141. doi:10.1002/ajh.23852. PMID 25220013.
- ↑ Bottomley SS, Fleming MD (August 2014). "Sideroblastic anemia: diagnosis and management". Hematol. Oncol. Clin. North Am. 28 (4): 653–70, v. doi:10.1016/j.hoc.2014.04.008. PMID 25064706.
- ↑ Roy CN (2010). "Anemia of inflammation". Hematology Am Soc Hematol Educ Program. 2010: 276–80. doi:10.1182/asheducation-2010.1.276. PMID 21239806.
- ↑ Zainal NZ, Alauddin H, Ahmad S, Hussin NH (December 2014). "α-Thalassemia with Haemoglobin Adana mutation: prenatal diagnosis". Malays J Pathol. 36 (3): 207–11. PMID 25500521.