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Congenital spherocytic anemia - Symptom

Alternative Names

Hereditary spherocytosis; Spherocytosis

Symptoms:

Infants may have yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice) and pale coloring (pallor).

Other symptoms may include:

Signs and tests:

In most cases, the spleen is enlarged.

Laboratory tests can help diagnose this condition. Tests may include:

Blood smear to show abnormally shaped cells
Bilirubin level
Complete blood count to check for anemia
Coombs' test
LDH cholesterol level
Osmotic fragility
Reticulocyte count

Red blood cells, normal

Red blood cells, spherocytosis

Blood cells

Reviewed last on: 11/8/2008
David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; and James R. Mason, MD, Oncologist, Director, Blood and Marrow Transplantation Program and Stem Cell Processing Lab, Scripps Clinic, Torrey Pines, California. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Golan DE. Hemolytic anemias: red cell membrane and metabolic disorders. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap 165.

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