Page 63 - Essential Haematology

Chapter 3 Hypochromic anaemias / 49

■ Iron is present in the body in haemoglobin, or the female genital tract. Dietary intake is
myoglobin, haemosiderin and ferritin, and important particularly in underdeveloped
in iron - containing enzymes. Transferrin is countries.
the main transport protein in blood and ■ The red cells are hypochromic and SUMMARY

hepcidin the main regulator of iron microcytic. It is treated by oral or
absorption and iron release from parenteral iron and by treating, as far as
macrophages. possible, the underlying cause.

■ Iron metabolism is regulated according to ■ Other frequent causes of a hypochromic,

iron status by intracellular iron regulatory microcytic anaemia are the anaemia of
proteins and by control of hepcidin chronic disorders, which occurs in patients
synthesis. with chronic infl ammatory or malignant

■ Iron defi ciency is the most common diseases, and α - or β - thalassaemia. Less

cause of anaemia throughout the world. frequent causes include sideroblastic
The serum ferritin, serum iron and anaemia (some cases) and lead poisoning.
saturation of the iron binding capacity are ■ Sideroblastic anaemias are characterised

reduced. by frequent ring sideroblasts in the marrow.

■ In Western countries, it is usually caused The most frequent is a sub-type of

by haemorrhage from the gastrointestinal myelodysplasia.
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