MICROCYTIC ANEMIA… secret unlocked: (Source Pathoma)
Anemia in which MCV < 80 (ie size of RBCs is decreased)
Main pathophysiology:
decreased hemoglobin in blood : since the RBC wants to maintain its pink colour (ie concn of the hemoglobin), it decreases its size
remember hemoglobin= heme + globin
so decreased hemoglobin = decreased heme + decreased globin
we know, heme= iron + protoporphyrin
so we can say decreased hemoglobin= decreased (iron+protoporphyrin) + decreased globin
Now lets derive the diseases:
A. decreased iron:
-
low iron in blood: iron deficieny anemia
-
iron is there but it cant bind:
anemia of chronic disease (iron is captured by macrophage)
B. decreased protoporphyrin
- sideroblastic anemia
C. decreased globin chain
- thalassemia
Thanks to the legend Dr. Hussain A. Sattar