Index
They are erythrocytes that have assumed the shape of a sphere rather than the standard discoid shape.
As a result, they appear in routine blood tests as cells that are smaller and denser than normal red blood cells of the species and have a reduced area of central pallor.
Causes
There are several causes of spherocyte formation, and the numbers are essential to some extent.
In spherocytosis diagnosed with immunity-mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA), low amounts of spherocytes can be observed in conditions other than IMHA. Therefore, the presence of spherocytes (especially if it is low amounts) is not always indicative of IMHA.
Other acquired diseases typically have low numbers of spherocytes, including fragmentation anemias, oxidative damage to red blood cells (although the cells are phagocytes), coral snake poisoning, and disorders associated with abnormal macrophage function. (hemophagocytic syndrome, histolytic sarcoma) and bee stings.
Red blood cells transfused or stored in blood bags will lose surface area on storage and, when saturated, will appear as spherocytes on the recipient’s blood smears.
In this situation, moderate to many spherocytes can be seen, depending on the proportion of donor cells transfused to the patient’s cells.
Background information for spherocytes
Spherocytes are red blood cells with a molecular defect in one or more proteins in the cytoskeleton of red blood cells.
Due to its defect in the cytoskeleton, the RBC contracts with its most efficient and least flexible configuration of surface tension, which is the shape of a sphere (as the name implies).
However, this configuration is susceptible to high osmotic brittleness and prone to physical degeneration.
Clinical significance
The appearance of numerous spherocytes without other abnormal red cells in a PBF highly indicates hereditary spherocytosis.
If a small number of spherocytes are seen along with other abnormal red blood cells in PBFs, the following clinical conditions may be suspected:
- Isoimmune and autoimmune hemolytic anemias.
- Heinz’s bodily hemolytic anemia.
- Hereditary pyropoikilocytosis.
- Microangiopathic hemolytic anemia.
- Hypersplenism.
- Post-splenectomy.
- Myelofibrosis with myeloid metaplasia.
- Hemoglobinopathies.
- Malaria.
- Liver disease
- Recent transfusions.
- Severe burns
Cell description
The hallmark of spherocytes is the presence of numerous small red blood cells that appear synonymous with a sphere shape without a visible central pallor and stain more densely than their regular counterparts.
The denser staining is due to the average concentration of hemoglobin that becomes “concentrated” due to the contraction of the red blood cells.
hemolytic anemia
Hemolytic anemia is diagnosed when the survival of circulating red blood cells is shortened.
Today, laboratory findings in hemolytic anemia and the distinction between inherited and acquired forms are studied by students of preclinical medicine around the world.
Although hemolytic anemia is much less common than anemia due to marrow failure or bleeding, general practitioners are well acquainted with the characteristic findings of the condition. When a hematologist sees the patient, the diagnosis is already in place. Done.
Among the spherocytic hemolytic anemias, hereditary spherocytosis is the most common congenital hemolytic anemia, and autoimmune hemolytic disease is the most common acquired form.
The two diseases share many characteristics known to physicians since the early 20th century, such as jaundice and splenomegaly on physical examination, spherocytes, and reticulocytosis on a blood test osmotic fragility of red blood cells, and clinical improvement after splenectomy.
This constellation of clinical features was generally referred to as hemolytic or acholuric jaundice (jaundice), which refers to the characteristic absence of bile in the urine.
A congenital or familial form of hemolytic anemia was often diagnosed in children with a family history of jaundice, splenomegaly, or hemolytic anemia.
However, spontaneous cases in children without a family history and the initial onset of the disease in adults were common enough to confuse, as acquired cases were often diagnosed based on understanding and the absence of family history in adult patients.
No one seriously questioned the existence of familial or congenital forms of hemolytic anemia. Still, many questioned the existence of acquired forms other than those resulting from infection or toxic exposure.
It was not until the rediscovery of the principle of antiglobulin testing and its application to diagnosing patients with spherocytic hemolytic anemia that acquired spherocytic hemolytic anemia and the means to distinguish inherited and acquired forms were accepted readily.