| cameloid anaemia | Anaemia characterised by elliptical erythrocytes (ovalocytes) resembling those observed normally in camels; 1 to 15% of erythrocytes in nonanaemic persons may be oval, but greater proportions are observed in certain patients with microcytic anaemia. See: elliptocytosis. Synonym: cameloid anaemia, ovalocytic anaemia. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| macrocytic achylic anaemia | <haematology> A form of anaemia (low red blood cell counts) that results when the bone marrow fails to produce adequate numbers of red blood cells due to a deficiency in vitamin B12. Intrinsic factor, necessary for normal B12 absorption, may be the underlying cause for B12 deficiency if is not produced in the gastric glands (in the stomach). Origin: Gr. Haima = blood (27 Sep 1997) |
| macrocytic anaemia | Any anaemia in which the average size of circulating erythrocytes is greater than normal, i.e., the mean corpuscular volume is 94 cu um or more (normal range, 82 to 92 cu um), including such syndromes as pernicious anaemia, sprue, coeliac disease, macrocytic anaemia of pregnancy, anaemia of diphyllobothriasis, and others. Synonym: megalocytic anaemia. (05 Mar 2000) |
| macrocytic anaemia of pregnancy | An anaemia occurring in pregnancy, related to folate deficiency and characterised by a low level of haemoglobin and a reduced number of erythrocytes, which are larger than normal (macrocytes). (05 Mar 2000) |
| macrocytic anaemia tropical | The macrocytic, megaloblastic anaemia of tropical sprue. (05 Mar 2000) |
| radiation anaemia | Hypoplastic anaemia sometimes occurring after high-level acute or low-level chronic exposure to ionizing radiation. (05 Mar 2000) |
| malignant anaemia | <haematology> A form of anaemia (low red blood cell counts) that results when the bone marrow fails to produce adequate numbers of red blood cells due to a deficiency in vitamin B12. Intrinsic factor, necessary for normal B12 absorption, may be the underlying cause for B12 deficiency if is not produced in the gastric glands (in the stomach). Origin: Gr. Haima = blood (27 Sep 1997) |
| Marchiafava-Micheli anaemia | An infrequent disorder with insidious onset (usually in the third or fourth decade) and chronic course, characterised by episodes of haemolytic anaemia, haemoglobinuria (chiefly at night), pallor, icterus or bronzing of the skin, a moderate degree of splenomegaly, and sometimes hepatomegaly; red blood cells are usually macrocytic and vary considerably in size, but there is no evidence of spherocytosis, erythrophagocytosis, or abnormal leukocytes. The disorder is a result of an abnormality of the red cell membrane which makes the red cell unusually sensitive to lysis by complement. Synonym: Marchiafava-Micheli anaemia, Marchiafava-Micheli syndrome. (05 Mar 2000) |
| refractory anaemia | <haematology> A form of myelodysplasia which primarily affects the red cell production by the bone marrow. In some cases the developing red cells show an internal ring of iron granules. These cells are called sideroblasts. Refractory anaemia and refractory anaemia with sideroblasts are the most common forms of myelodysplasia. Origin: Gr. Haima = blood (13 Nov 1997) |
| refractory anaemia with excess blasts | <haematology> A form of myelodysplasia characterised by the build up of immature white blood cells (blasts) in the bone marrow. If the immature cells are particularly numerous it may indicate a chance of transformation to acute leukaemia and the condition is called refractory anaemia with excess blasts in transformation (RAEBt). Acronym: RAEB (13 Nov 1997) |
| globe cell anaemia | <haematology> A hereditary disorder that leads to a chronic haemolytic anaemia due to an abnormality in the red blood cell membrane. This disorder is caused by a defective gene. Red cells are resistant to stress and rupture easily. Infants may appear jaundiced and pale. Fatigue, weakness and shortness of breath are other symptoms that may be seen in older patients. The spleen may also be enlarged. Treatment includes splenectomy (removal of the spleen). After this is accomplished the life-span of the red blood cells returns to normal. (27 Sep 1997) |
| mediterranean anaemia | Better known today as thalassaemia (or as beta thalassaemia or thalassaemia major).the clinical picture of this important type of anaemia was first described in 1925 by the paediatrician thomas benton cooley. The name thalassaemia was coined by the nobel prise winning pathologist george whipple and the professor of paediatrics wm bradford at u. Of rochester because thalassa in greek means the sea (like the mediterrranean sea) + -aemia means in the blood so thalassaemia means sea in the blood. Thalassaemia is not just one disease. It is a complex contingent of genetic (inherited) disorders all of which involve underproduction of haemoglobin, the indispensable molecule in red blood cells that carries oxygen. The globin part of normal adult haemoglobin is made up of 2 alpha and 2 beta polypeptide chains. In beta thalassaemia, there is a mutation (change) in both beta globin chains leading to underproduction (or absence) of beta chains, underproduction of haemoglobin, and profound anaemia. The gene for beta thalassaemia is relatively frequent in people of mediterranean origin (for example, from italy and greece). Children with this disease inherit one gene for it from each parent. The parents are carriers (heterozygotes) with just one thalassaemia gene, are said to have thalassaemia minor, and are essentially normal. Their children affected with beta thalassaemia seem entirely normal at birth because at birth we still have predominantly foetal haemoglobin which does not contain beta chains. The anaemia surfaces in the first few months after birth and becomes progressively more severe leading to pallor and easy fatiguability, failure to thrive (grow), bouts of fever (due to infections) and diarrhoea. Treatment based on blood transfusions is helpful but not curative. Gene therapy will, it is hoped, be applicable to this disease. (12 Dec 1998) |
| megaloblastic anaemia | Any anaemia in which there is a predominant number of megaloblastic erythroblasts, and relatively few normoblasts, among the hyperplastic erythroid cells in the bone marrow (as in pernicious anaemia). (05 Mar 2000) |
| megalocytic anaemia | Any anaemia in which the average size of circulating erythrocytes is greater than normal, i.e., the mean corpuscular volume is 94 cu um or more (normal range, 82 to 92 cu um), including such syndromes as pernicious anaemia, sprue, coeliac disease, macrocytic anaemia of pregnancy, anaemia of diphyllobothriasis, and others. Synonym: megalocytic anaemia. (05 Mar 2000) |
| goat's milk anaemia | Nutritional anaemia in infants maintained chiefly with goat's milk, which is relatively poor in iron content. (05 Mar 2000) |