2962 results
Overall Approach to Anemia - Differential Diagnosis Algorithm

Blood Loss
 • Acute Bleed - Normocytic / Normochromic
/ Normochromic RBCs ... on Smear • Chronic ... Decreased RBC ... Spherocytes on Smear ... Diagnosis #Algorithm #Causes
Plasmodium Falciparum Blood Smear.
Key features suggesting Plasmodium falciparum:
- extreme parasitemia
- normocytic RBCs (vivax, ovale prefer big
Falciparum Blood Smear ... parasitemia - normocytic RBCs ... multiples per RBC ... P. falciparum causes ... human malaria cases
Causes of Anemia with elevated Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV) - Differential Diagnosis Algorithm
Normal Blood Smear
 •
Causes of Anemia ... Normal Blood Smear ... Neutrophils - Low RBC ... Pernicious Anemia RBCs ... Diagnosis #Algorithm #Causes
Hemolytic Anemia - Differential Diagnosis Algorithm
Hereditary:
 • Peripheral blood smear + DAT + further History
 •
Peripheral blood smear ... Hypochromic & microcytic RBCs ... Diagnosis #Algorithm #causes
Oroya Fever
Hematologic disease caused by Bartonella bacilliformis
Restricted to the Andes highlands of Peru & Ecuador
B. bacilliformis:
Hematologic disease caused ... anorexia, ARDS ​• RBC ... phase: Peripheral smear ... coccobacillus within the RBCs
Nucleated red blood cells, aka normoblasts or erythroblasts, were released prematurely from the bone marrow in
fetus/newborn the causes ... BloodSmear #Blood #Smear ... #Nucleated #RBCs
Warm Antibody Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia 
1) DIAGNOSE AIHA
 • Anemia: macrocytic > normocytic, ↑ reticulocytes
 •
↑ LDH • Anti-RBC ... C3d • Blood smear ... 2) LOOK FOR a cause
Algorithm for the evaluation of macrocytic anemia. (RBC = red blood cell; MMA = methylmalonic acid.)
Physicians
(RBC = red blood ... ordering a peripheral smear ... the most likely cause ... recovery also causes
Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC) Overview

Increased Clotting and Consumption of Clotting Factors

Findings:
 • Bleeding
 • Recent history
• Peripheral smear ... Treat primary cause ... hydration • RBC ... Coagulation #diagnosis #causes
Causes of Anemia with Normal Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV) - Differential Diagnosis Algorithm
Decreased WBCs
 - Decreased/NormaI
Causes of Anemia ... Polychromatic Macrocytes, RBC ... Spherocytes, RBC ... ) - Abnormal RBCs ... Diagnosis #Algorithm #Causes