General Haematology II: Anaemias

At the end of this course, students should be able to: 1. define iron metabolism; 2. enumerate causes, manifestations, diagnosis and treatment of IDA; 3. list the causes, manifestations and treatment of iron overload; 4. describe metabolism of folates and vitamin B12; 5. enumerate the causes, clinical manifestations, laboratory features and treatment of megaloblastic anaemia; 6. discuss the aetiology, manifestations, lab findings and differential diagnoses of AA; 7. differentiate myeloblastic and leucoerythroblastic anaemias; 8. describe the aetiology, pathogenesis, laboratory findings and treatment of anaemia of chronic disorders; 9. classify haemolytic anaemia; 10. discuss the pathophysiology, clinical and laboratory evaluation of haemolytic anaemia; 11. describe the spectrum of haemoglobin disorders; 12. explain sickle cell diseases including their inheritance patterns, molecular genetics, pathophysiology, clinical and laboratory features, complications, prevention and treatment; 13. explain thalassaemias, genetic counselling and antenatal diagnosis of globin disorders; 14. describe the pathology, clinical and lab findings of common red cell membranopathies; and 15. discuss the pathology, genetics, clinical and lab findings of common red cell enzymopathies.

Iron sources, absorption, transportation, storage and metabolism. Deficiency anaemia. Iron overload, haemosiderosis/haemochromatosis. Megaloblastic anaemias. Sources, absorption, transportation and storage of folates and vitamin B12. Folate deficiency. Vitamin B12 deficiency, clinical features, laboratory findings, diagnosis and treatment. Aplastic anaemia, myelopathic anaemia and leucoerythroblastic anaemia. Anaemia of chronic diseases. Chronic infections. Chronic inflammation. Clinical and laboratory features. Differential diagnoses. General aspects of haemolytic anaemias. Definition, types. Intravascular and extravascular haemolysis and their clinical and biochemical features. Inherited vs acquired. Haemoglobinopathies. Sickle cell diseases, thalassemia, genetic counselling, antenatal diagnosis of haemoglobinopathies. Red cell membranopathies, Spherocytosis, elliptocytosis, stomatocytosis. Others. Red cell enzymopathies. G6PD deficiency, pyruvate kinase deficiency. Acquired haemolytic anaemias, auto immune. Warm/cold. Microangiopathy. Mechanical contact anaemia. Red cell infections-malaria.