Acquired hemolytic anemia

Summary

Acquired hemolytic anemia can be divided into immune and non-immune mediated forms of hemolytic anemia.

Acquired hemolytic anemia
SpecialtyHematology

Immune edit

Immune mediated hemolytic anaemia (direct Coombs test is positive)[citation needed]

Non-immune edit

Non-immune mediated hemolytic anemia (direct Coombs test is negative)

  • Drugs (i.e., some drugs and other ingested substances lead to hemolysis by direct action on RBCs, e.g., ribavirin )
  • Toxins (e.g., snake venom; plant poisons such as aesculin)
  • Trauma
    • Mechanical (from heart valves, extensive vascular surgery, microvascular disease, repeated mechanical vascular trauma)
  • Microangiopathic hemolytic anaemia (a specific subtype with causes such as TTP, HUS, DIC and HELLP syndrome)
  • Infections (Note: Direct Coombs test is sometimes positive in hemolytic anaemia due to infection)
  • Membrane disorders

Drug induced hemolysis edit

Drug induced hemolysis has large clinical relevance. It occurs when drugs actively provoke red blood cell destruction. It can be divided in the following manner:[citation needed]

A total of four mechanisms are usually described, but there is some evidence that these mechanisms may overlap.[1]

References edit

  1. ^ Wright MS (1999). "Drug-induced hemolytic anemias: increasing complications to therapeutic interventions". Clin Lab Sci. 12 (2): 115–8. PMID 10387489.

External links edit