Hemolytic anemia pathophysiology

Different classifications of anemia are based in part on the pathophysiological factor inducing the decreased hemoglobin concentration. Anemias due to cell hy-poproliferation include aplastic anemia and iron deficiency anemia. Hemolytic anemia results from excessive destruction of red blood cells. Megaloblastic anemia, sideroblastic anemia, and iron deficiency anemia result from an abnormality in the maturation of red blood cells. 

Forbes CD, Mitchell R, Craig JA, McNicol GP (1972) Acute intravascular haemolysis associated with cephalexin therapy. Postgrad Med J 48 186 Frank MM, Schreiber AD, Atkinson JP (1977) Pathophysiology of immune hemolytic anemia. Ann Intern Med 87 210... 

Distribution Erythrocytes Outcome (pathophysiological adverse fect) Hemolysis and/or hemoglobin reduction Sequela (adverse reaction) Hemolytic anemia and/or methemoglobinemia... 

Immunologic phenomena are a common occurrence in both conditions and may be important pathophysiologically. Autoantibodies, circulating immune complexes, evidence of abnormal delayed or cellular immunity (anergy) a mononuclear inflammatory infiltrate and putative autoimmune disease manifestations such as Sjogren s syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis and hemolytic anemia are common coexistent occurrences in both diseases. 

In an attempt further to elucidate the anhaptoglobinemia in patients with anemia, Nyman (N7) studied the plasma Hp in 335 cases of anemia (Hb less than 11 g/lOOml) mainly from a department of internal medicine. The partition she found (Table 2) is instructive from a pathophysiological point of view. The frequency of subnormal Hp values found within the different diagnostic groups may fairly well reflect the hemolytic trait in tire different types of anemia. Subnormal Hp possibly secondary to the increased red cell destruction is a common finding also in polycythemia. 

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