SIDEROBLASTIC ANEMIA

Course overview

SIDEROBLASTIC ANEMIA IS A TYPE OF ANEMIA THAT RESULTS FROM ABNORMAL UTILIZATION OF IRON DURING ERYTHROPOIESIS. THERE ARE DIFFERENT FORMS OF SIDEROBLASTIC ANEMIA, AND ALL FORMS ARE DEFINED BY THE PRESENCE OF RING SIDEROBLASTS IN THE BONE MARROW. RING SIDEROBLASTS ARE ERYTHROID PRECURSORS CONTAINING DEPOSITS OF NON-HEME IRON IN MITOCHONDRIA FORMING A RING-LIKE DISTRIBUTION AROUND THE NUCLEUS. THE IRON-FORMED RING COVERS AT LEAST ONE-THIRD OF THE NUCLEUS RIM. SIDEROBLASTIC ANEMIA IS KNOWN TO CAUSE MICROCYTIC AND MACROCYTIC ANEMIA DEPENDING ON WHAT TYPE OF MUTATION LED TO IT. UNLIKE IRON DEFICIENCY ANEMIA, WHERE THERE IS DEPLETION OF IRON STORES, PATIENTS WITH SIDEROBLASTIC ANEMIA HAVE NORMAL TO HIGH IRON LEVELS. OTHER MICROCYTIC ANEMIAS INCLUDE THALASSEMIA AND ANEMIA OF CHRONIC DISEASE. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE ETIOLOGY, DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS, TREATMENT AND MANAGEMENT OF SIDEROBLASTIC ANEMIA AND THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM CAN IMPROVE OUTCOMES.