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Teardrop‐shaped red cells in autoimmune hemolytic anemia
Author(s) -
Farolino Deborah L.,
Rustagi Pradip K.,
Currie Mark S.,
Doeblin Thomas D.,
Logue Gerald L.
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
american journal of hematology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.456
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1096-8652
pISSN - 0361-8609
DOI - 10.1002/ajh.2830210410
Subject(s) - extramedullary hematopoiesis , myelofibrosis , bone marrow , spleen , autoimmune hemolytic anemia , autoantibody , pathology , medicine , haematopoiesis , anemia , erythropoiesis , red blood cell , hemolytic anemia , immunology , biology , stem cell , antibody , genetics
The presence of teardrop‐shaped red cells in peripheral blood has traditionally been felt to reflect altered marrow architecture, namely myelofibrosis. We evaluated two patients with splenomegaly, moderately severe hemolytic anemia due to warm‐reactive IgG anti‐red cell autoantibody, and bone marrow erythroid hyperplasia without myelofibrosis. A striking predominance of teardrop‐shaped red cells was noted upon examination of their blood films. Removal of a spleen containing extramedullary hematopoiesis in one and resolution of splenomegaly in the other were accompanied by disappearance of these cells. Our observations support a role for the spleen and for extramedullary hematopoiesis in the pathogenesis of this distinctive red cell morphologic abnormality.