Anemia
from Deficient Red Blood Cell Production
There
are a number of factors that need to be present in combination to allow the bone
marrow in the hollow long bones to manufacture red blood cells. If there is a
dysbalance with one of the ingredients missing, it will results in anemia.
Iron deficiency anemiaThis is the most common form of anemia due
to such diverse causes as chronic blood loss (ulcers, polyps in the colon or colon
cancer), heavy periods in women or chronic nose bleeds (epistaxis). Iron deficiency
leads to a slow down of the metabolic pathway of building up hemoglobin. This
results in iron deficiency anemia and is explained under "anemia
due to blood loss".
Sideroblastic anemia This type of anemia is an iron utilization anemia
meaning that the bone marrow has difficulties utilizing iron for hemoglobin synthesis.
Sideroblastic anemia can be hereditary. Often it is part of a myelodysblastic
syndrome, but it can also be secondary to certain drugs (chloramphenicol, isoniazid,
cycloserine etc.) or toxins like alcohol and lead. Symptoms: The symptoms are
the same as for all the anemias. Diagnostic tests A blood smear shows targeted
red blood cells with basophilic stippling (bluish
color spots). If myelodysplastic syndrome is present, there are other
features associated with this condition seen. If not, lead levels should be done
to rule out lead poisoning. Treatment In the case of alcohol
induced sideroblastic anemia the patient will recover quickly when alcohol is
eliminated. Some of the more rare forms of congenital sideroblastic anemias may
respond to pyridoxine 50 mg three times per day.
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