Haematological disorders

What is anaemia?

What are the normal haemoglobin concentrations for an average adult male and female?

What are the normal haemoglobin concentrations for children between 2 years old and puberty, and foetuses?

What accompanies a reduction in haemoglobin?

List three causes of anaemia that results from problems with haemoglobin/erythrocyte production.

What causes the aplastic anaemia resulting from bone marrow dysfunction?

What types of anaemia do iron deficiency and vitamin B12 deficiency cause, with regard to the erythrocytes?

What about iron deficiency results in microcytic anaemia or a reduced haemoglobin content within erythrocytes?

List some causes of iron deficiency that may result in iron deficient anaemia.

What measurable characteristics are affected in iron deficiency anaemia (that could be checked in a blood test)?

Vitamin B12 deficiency results in macrocytic anaemia which are significantly reduced in number. What causes this?

List some causes of vitamin B12 deficiency that results in macrocytic anaemia.

Destruction of erythrocytes under how many days is classed as premature destruction?

In anaemia resulting from premature destruction of erythrocytes, the erythrocytes are abnormal. List some causes of abnormal erythrocytes.

What is the substitution that results in sickle cell anaemia?

What is the abnormal shape of erythrocytes in sickle cell disease, what causes it and what effects does this have?

What are the thalassaemias?

Which type of thalassaemia is less severe, compatible with life, and treatable?

Describe an auto-immune mechanism that causes haemolytic anaemia.

How might a congenital structural difference in an individual's haemoglobin reduce their erythrocyte lifespan?

Describe how an erythrocyte's enzymes might result in anaemia.

How might a change in an erythrocyte's membrane structure result in anaemia?

What is spherocytosis?

What is the correct term for blood loss?

Describe acute haemorrhage.

Describe and give examples of chronic haemorrhage.

What are the general symptoms of anaemia?

Describe a symptom specific to iron deficient anaemia.

Name a symptom specific to sickle cell anaemia.

What does it mean to say that a haematological malignancy is clonal?

What is a myeloma?

What is a lymphoma?

What is polycythaemia?

What does it mean to describe acute leukaemias as aggressive (in most cases)?

Why are acute leukaemias rapidly fatal if left untreated?

What is an acute leukaemia?

What is acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL)?

What is acute myeloblastic leukaemia (AML)?

What is common of both acute myeloid and acute lymphoid leukaemia?

Without treatment, what is the life expectancy of an individual with acute leukaemia?

How do acute leukaemias cause morbidity and mortality?

Which type of leukaemias is most amenable to treatment?

Chemotherapy causes morbidity by affecting all rapidly dividing cells. Give some examples of cell types that may be affected.

Are all childhood leukaemias considered to be curable?

Without treatment, what is the life expectancy of an individual with a chronic leukaemia?

What is the difference between chronic and acute leukaemia?

Why might the disease be monitored and care be palliative, rather than treated?

Does conventional chemotherapy for chronic leukaemia increase survival time?

Roughly outline a bone marrow transplant.

How does imatinib, the chemotherapeutic agent, work?

Why are sweating and weight loss common in all leukaemias?

List some typical features of all leukaemias.