Classifications of Hemolytic Anemias

[Show Table Outline]

Intrinsic Defects

Hereditary defects

• Abnormalities of the RBC membrane
• Hereditary spherocytosis
• Hereditary elliptocytosis
• Hereditary pyropoikilocytosis
• Hereditary stomatocytosis and xerocytosis
• Inherited erythrocyte enzyme disorders
• Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency
• Other enzyme deficiencies
• Disorders of hemoglobin production
• Hemoglobinopathies
• Sickle cell syndromes
• Sickle cell disease
• Sickle cell trait
• HbS -thalassemia syndrome
• Hemoglobin C disease

Disorders of hemoglobin production

• Hemoglobinopathies
• Sickle cell syndromes
• Sickle cell disease
• Sickle cell trait
• HbS -thalassemia syndrome
• Hemoglobin C disease
• Methemoglobins/hemoglobin M
• Unstable hemoglobin
• Thalassemia syndromes

Acquired defects

• Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria

Extrinsic Defects

Nonimmune destruction

• Microangiopathic and macroangiopathic hemolytic anemia
• Chemical and toxic agents
• Infections causing hemolysis
• Hypersplenism
• Systemic disorders

Immune hemolytic anemias

• Primary
• Secondary (associated with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, lymphomas, and carcinomas)
• Drug induced
• Infections

From Sacher, RA, and McPherson, RA: Widmann's Clinical Interpretation of Laboratory Tests, ed 10. FA Davis, Philadelphia, 1991, p 94, with permission.

[Table Outline]

• Intrinsic Defects
  • Hereditary defects
  • Disorders of hemoglobin production
  • Acquired defects
• Extrinsic Defects
  • Nonimmune destruction
  • Immune hemolytic anemias