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Hemolytic anemia associated with mechanical damage to red blood cells
Medical expert of the article
Last reviewed: 07.07.2025
[ Symptoms of microangiopathic hemolytic anemia
Trauma may be localized outside the vascular bed, such as with body blows, leg injuries (march hemoglobinuria), karate; may be caused by the heart's work through a pressure gradient in aortic stenosis or a faulty aortic valve prosthesis; may be localized in arterioles in severe (especially malignant) hypertension, in some malignant tumors, nodular polyarthritis; may be localized in terminal arterioles with fibrin thread deposition in thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura or disseminated intravascular coagulation. Trauma causes additional changes in the shape of erythrocytes (for example, the shape of a tropical helmet, a triangle), which are called schistocytes. These changes can be determined in a blood smear. Small schistocytes determine the presence of a low MCV and a high RDW (late manifestation of anisocytosis).
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Treatment of microangiopathic hemolytic anemia
Treatment is aimed at the underlying process. Sometimes, as a result of hemolysis and chronic hemosiderinuria, iron deficiency anemia develops, in which case iron replacement therapy is effective.