Hemolytic anemia

• A
• B
• C
• D
• E
• F
• G
• H
• I
• J
• K
• L
• M
• N
• O
• P
• Q
• R
• S
• T
• U
• V
• W
• X
• Y
• Z

Blood cells	Red blood cells, multiple sickle cells	Red blood cells, sickle and pappenheimer	Red blood cells, sickle cell
Red blood cells, sickle cells

Anemia - hemolytic

• Chills
• Fatigue
• Pale skin color
• Shortness of breath
• Rapid heart rate
• Yellow skin color (jaundice)
• Dark urine
• Enlarged spleen

These are tests for hemolysis (red blood cell destruction). There are specific tests which identify the specific types of hemolytic anemia. They are performed after hemolysis has been established.

• Elevated indirect bilirubin levels
• Low serum haptoglobin
• Hemoglobin in the urine
• Hemosiderin in the urine
• Increased urine and fecal urobilinogen
• Elevated absolute reticulocyte count
• Low red blood cell count (RBC) and hemoglobin
• Elevated serum LDH

Direct measurement of the red cell life span by radioactive tagging techniques shows a shortened life span.

This disease may also affect the following test results depending on the specific cause:

• Uric acid
• TIBC
• RBC indices
• Protein electrophoresis - serum
• Potassium test
• Platelet count
• Peripheral smear
• Leukocyte alkaline phosphatase
• Serum iron
• Hematocrit
• Ferritin
• Febrile or cold agglutinins
• Donath-Landsteiner test
• Coombs' test, indirect
• Coombs' test, direct
• CBC
• Blood differential
• AST
• 24-hour urine protein

Review Date: 10/30/2006
Reviewed By: William Matsui, MD, Assistant Professor of Oncology, Division of Hematologic Malignancies, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, MD. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.