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PA16.1-3 | Welcome to Haemolytic Anaemia — Definition, Classification & Lab Markers
Learning Objectives
- Define haemolysis and haemolytic anaemia, and distinguish compensated from decompensated states.
- Classify haemolytic anaemias using three parallel frameworks: site (intravascular vs extravascular), cause (hereditary vs acquired), and defect location (intracorpuscular vs extracorpuscular).
- Describe the general clinical features of haemolytic anaemia and explain their pathophysiological basis.
- Identify the key haematologic indices and laboratory markers of haemolysis and interpret their significance.
- Recognise the categories of hereditary and acquired haemolytic anaemias as a foundation for SDL2 and SDL3.
INSTRUCTIONS
Red cell destruction is one of the commonest causes of anaemia you will encounter in clinical medicine. This module builds the conceptual scaffolding — definitions, classification frameworks, clinical features and laboratory hallmarks — that underpins every specific haemolytic disorder you will study. A firm grasp of the three classification axes and the laboratory marker map will allow you to reason systematically about any patient presenting with haemolysis, from sickle-cell disease to autoimmune haemolytic anaemia.
References
- Robbins & Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease, 10th ed., Ch 14 (Red Cell and Bleeding Disorders) (textbook)
- Harsh Mohan's Textbook of Pathology, 8th ed., Ch 12 (Disorders of Red Blood Cells) (textbook)
- Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 21st ed., Ch 100 (Haemolytic Anaemias) (textbook)
Version 2.0 | NMC CBUC 2024