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4.3: Sideroblastic Anemia

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    38795
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    Cause(s): Development of sideroblastic anemia can be due to hereditary or acquired causes that lead to abnormal heme synthesis.1,2

    Hereditary: Sex-linked or autosomal recessive mutations

    Acquired: Idiopathic, MDS and other malignancies, drugs, lead toxicity

    Laboratory Features of Sideroblastic Anemia:1-3

    CBC:

    RBC: Decreased

    WBC: Variable

    PLT: Variable

    Hb: Decreased

    MCV, MCH, MCHC: Normal to Decreased (as they are averages of the RBC appearance)

    RDW: Increased

    RETIC: Decreased

    PBS:

    Dimorphic population (Normochromic/Normocytic alongside Hypochromic/Microcytic )

    Tears

    Schistocytes

    Pappenheimer bodies

    Basophilic stippling

    BM:

    M:E Ratio: Decreased

    Erythroid hyperplasia (ineffective erythropoiesis)

    Ringed sideroblasts

    Macrophages have increased iron (Increased iron stores)

    Iron Studies:

    Serum Iron: Increased

    Ferritin: Increased

    Transferrin: Normal to Decreased

    Transferrin Saturation: Increased

    TIBC: Normal to Decreased

    Other Tests:

    Bilirubin: Increased

    Haptoglobin: Decreased

    LD: Increased

    Prussian blue stain of BM shows increased iron levels and ringed sideroblasts

     

    References:

    1. McKenzie SB. Anemias of disordered iron metabolism and heme synthesis. In: Clinical laboratory hematology. 3rd ed. New Jersey: Pearson; 2015. p. 198-230.

    2. Doig K. Disorders of iron kinetics and heme metabolism. In: Rodak’s hematology clinical applications and principles. 5th ed. St. Louis, Missouri: Saunders; 2015. p. 297-313.

    3. Finnegan K. Iron metabolism and hypochromic anemias. In: Clinical hematology and fundamentals of hemostasis. 5th ed. Philadelphia: F.A. Davis Company; 2009. p. 117-37.


    This page titled 4.3: Sideroblastic Anemia is shared under a CC BY-NC 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Valentin Villatoro and Michelle To (Open Education Alberta) via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform.