Overview Cold agglutinin disease is a form of autoimmune hemolytic anemia caused by cold-reacting autoantibodies (a type of protein produced by the immune system). Primary cold agglutinin disease is usually associated with monoclonal (produced from a single ancestral cell by repeated cellular replication) cold-reacting autoantibodies. Primary cold agglutinin disease is chronic …
Read More »Aplastic Anemia – Classification, Diagnosis, and Treatment
Definition Aplastic anemia (AA) can be inherited or acquired. Inherited forms usually present during the first decade of life, but in rare cases may manifest in adulthood. It is a rare blood disorder in which it occurs when a child’s bone marrow produces too few of the three types of …
Read More »Sepsis – Pathophysiology, Treatment, and Prevention.
What is sepsis? Sepsis is a life-threatening illness caused by your body’s response to an infection. Your immune system protects you from many illnesses and infections, but it’s also possible for it to go into overdrive in response to an infection. Sepsis develops when the chemicals the immune system releases …
Read More »Neutropenia- Causes, Symptoms, Treatment and Prevention
Definition Neutropenia is when a person has a low level of neutrophils. It is a type of white blood cell. All white blood cells help the body fight infection. Neutrophils fight infection by destroying harmful bacteria and fungi (yeast) that invade the body. Neutrophils are made in the bone marrow. …
Read More »Gangrene – Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment
What is gangrene? Gangrene, which refers to tissue death caused by a severe shortage of blood supply or serious bacterial infection, occurs in lower extremities. It is more common in the toes than other parts of the body. Gangrene tends to happen more often among people with peripheral artery …
Read More »Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria – Definition and Treatment.
Definition Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria or PNH is a rare and chronic disease that results in an abnormal breakdown of red blood cells. PNH is due to a spontaneous genetic mutation that causes red blood cells to be deficient in a protein, leaving them fragile. Because the kidneys help to filter …
Read More »Myelodysplastic Syndrome (MDS)- Definition, Treatment, and Prevention.
Definition Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is a group of diseases that affect the blood and bone marrow. Bone marrow is the soft, spongy tissue inside bones. In MDS, the blood-forming cells (stem cells) in the marrow slow down, or even stop, making the 3 types of blood cells: Red blood cells …
Read More »Thrombocytopenia – Introduction, Mechanism, and Risk factors.
Introduction People with thrombocytopenia have diminished platelets (Thrombocytes) count in the blood. Platelets are blood cells which help for clotting process. Normal platelets count value is from 150,000 and 450,000 per microliter (one-millionth of a liter). About two-third of platelets are released into the blood stream whereas the remaining are …
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