G6DP Deficiency: The Daily PANCE Blueprint
Which of the following would you most likely see on a blood smear in a patient with G6PD deficiency?
A. Basophilic stippling
B. Heinz bodies
C. Target cells
D. Howell Jolly bodies
E. Dacrocytes
Answer and topic summary
The answer is B. Heinz bodies
G6PD deficiency is an X-linked recessive disorder that results in episodes of hemolytic anemia. Without the enzyme G6PD (an enzyme that protects RBCs from oxidative injury), the hemoglobin molecule ends up being denatured due to the intense oxidative stress. Often the patients have episodes that are triggered by certain things, such as fava beans, drugs (sulfa, dapsone, primaquine, etc), and infections (MC). During episodes, patients may have dark urine and jaundice. Labs will show anemia, high reticulocyte count, low haptoglobin, high indirect bilirubin, and high LDH. Blood smear should reveal Heinz bodies, which are essentially clumps of the irreversibly denatured hemoglobin. Treatment is avoiding precipitants and transfusions as needed.
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Smarty PANCE Content Blueprint Review:
Covered under ⇒ PANCE Blueprint Hematology ⇒ ⇒ ⇒
Also covered as part of the Internal Medicine Rotation topic list
