| Abstract: | Microangiopathic haemolytic anaemia was diagnosed in the course of haematopoietic and lymphatic disorders such as chronic granulocytic leukemia, chronic myelofibrosis, chronic lymphatic leukemia, Osler's disease, chronic monocytic leukemia, and lymphoplasmocytic lymphoma, in 11 patients (6 women and 5 men) aged between 33 and 81 years (mean age 58.8 years) treated at the Haematological Out-Patient Clinic of the Postgraduate Medical Education Centre within 1977-1987. The following laboratory tests were carried out: 1) morphology of the peripheral blood and bone marrow, especially some haematological parameters concerning erythrocytes and blood platelets; 2) biochemical tests reflecting erythrocytes disintegration; 3) haemostasis. All examined patients suffered from haemolytic anaemia of various degree with characteristic changes in erythrocyte shape (helmets, tear-drops etc.). Haemolytic origin of anaemia was confirmed by the increased LDH activity. In the majority of patients no compensative stimulation of haematopoiesis (reticulocytosis, red blood cells hyperproliferation in bone marrow) was seen. Clinical symptoms of haemostatic disorders such as haemorrhagic diathesis and vein thrombosis were diagnosed in 50% of the patients. Blood platelet counts ranged from markedly decreased to significantly increased. Bone marrow smears did not show increased number of megacariocytes. Bleeding time was prolonged in the majority of examined patients while prothrombin index--decreased). Abnormal fibrinogen levels (decreased or increased) were found in the majority of patients with fibrin degradation products. Microangiopathic haemolytic anaemia in these patients differ from the typical Moschowitz's disease clinically probably due to the lack of compensative stimulation of erythropoiesis and lower thrombocytopenia. |
