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Chapter 22: Anaemia

INTRODUCTION

There’s never none of these demure boys come to any proof; for their drink doth so over cool their blood, and making many fish-meals, that they fall into a kind of male green-sickness.

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (1564–1616), KING HENRY IV

Anaemia is a label, not a specific diagnosis. Anaemia is defined as a reduction in red blood cell numbers or a haemoglobin (Hb) level below the normal reference level for the age and sex of that individual.

The WHO defines anaemia as haemoglobin <130 g/L for men, <120 g/L for women and <110 g/L in pregnant women and school-aged children.

Anaemia: a masquerade

Anaemia is regarded as a masquerade because the problem can develop surreptitiously and the patient may present with many seemingly undifferentiated symptoms before the anaemia is detected. Once identified, a cause must be found.

Key facts and checkpoints

  • In Australia, most people with anaemia will have iron deficiency ranging from up to 5% for children to 20% for menstruating females.1

  • The remainder will mainly have anaemia of chronic disorders.

  • The incidence of haemoglobinopathy traits, especially thalassaemia, is increasing in multicultural Western societies.

  • If a patient presents with precipitation or aggravation of myocardial ischaemia, heart failure or intermittent claudication, consider the possibility of anaemia.

  • The serum ferritin level, which is low in cases of iron-deficiency anaemia, is probably the best test to monitor iron-deficiency anaemia as its level reflects the amount of stored iron.

  • Normal reference values for peripheral blood are presented in TABLE 22.1.

Table 22.1Normal reference values for peripheral blood: adults
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Table 22.1 Normal reference values for peripheral blood: adults
  Male Female
Haemoglobin (g/L) 130–180 115–165
Red cells (× 1012/L) 4.5–6 4–5.5
PCV (haematocrit) 40–53 35–47
MCV (fL) 80–100
Platelets (× 109/L) 150–400
White cell count (× 109/L) 4–11
Neutrophils 2.5–7.5
Lymphocytes 1.5–4
Monocytes 0.2–1
Eosinophils <0.5
Reticulocytes (%) 0.5–2
ESR (mm/hour) <20 mm
  <35 mm if >70 years

Source: Reproduced with permission from Dr M Gribble2

DxT fatigue + palpitations + exertional dyspnoea ➜ anaemia

Clinical features

Patients with anaemia may be asymptomatic. When symptoms develop they are usually nonspecific. Symptoms can include:

  • tiredness/fatigue

  • muscle weakness

  • headache and tinnitus

  • lack of concentration

  • faintness/dizziness

  • dyspnoea on exertion

  • palpitations

  • angina on effort

  • intermittent claudication

  • pica—usually brittle and crunchy food, e.g. ice (iron-deficiency anaemia)

Signs

Non-specific signs include pallor, tachycardia, systolic flow murmur and angular cheilosis.

If severe, signs can include ankle oedema and cardiac failure.

Specific signs include jaundice—haemolytic anaemia, and koilonychias (spoon-shaped nails)—iron-deficiency anaemia.

History

The history ...

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