Reduced Red Cell Count
July 29th, 2019
Overview
Reduced circulating red blood cells.
Causes of Reduced Red Cell Count
Reduced RBC Production
- Haematinic deficiency - B12, folate, iron
- Bone marrow pathology - aplastic anaemia, myeloproliferative diseases, myelofibrosis
- Endocrine - EPO deficiency, hypothyroidism
- Anaemia of chronic disease (infection / inflammation / malignancy)
- Sideroblastic anaemia
- Thalassaemias
Increased RBC Destruction (Haemolysis)
- Immune haemolysis - autoimmune, alloimmune, drug-induced
- Red cell fragmentation - thrombotic microangiopathies, mechanical haemolysis
- Intrinsic RBC disorders - enzymopathies, membranopathies, haemoglobinopathies
- Hypersplenism
- Other - infection, copper, lead, hypophosphataemia
RBC Loss
- Trauma
- Gastrointestinal bleed
- Bleeding from another source e.g. urinary tract
Factitious
- Dilutional - excess fluid administration, pregnancy
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