Mechanisms of Hemolysis in Iron Deficiency Anemia. Further Studies

Abstract

Abstract Red blood cell survival time as measured with 32DFP and 51Cr was studied in subjects with iron deficiency anemia associated and nonassociated with hook-worm infection. 51Cr T ½ was definitely shorter in all cases in which 32DFP showed marked excess hemolysis, but a normal 51Cr T ½ was found in some cases in which 32DFP survival was slightly reduced. There was a high correlation between survival measured with 32DFP and the rate of abnormal red cells in the peripheral blood. Less correlation was found between the proportion of hypochromic microcytic red cells and 32DFP, and even less correlation, although significant, was observed when 51Cr T ½ was compared with the red cell parameters. Results of the red cell survival studies with erythrocytes from subjects with iron deficiency anemia injected into the donor subject, normal recipients, and splenectomized subjects, as well as body 51Cr surface countings, indicated that excess hemolysis in this type of anemia is due to an intrinsic defect of the red blood cells and that the spleen is the principal sites of destruction of these cells.