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Hereditary ovalocytosis - Symptom

Alternative Names

Ovalocytosis - hereditary

Symptoms:

Newborn infants with ovalocytosis may have anemia and jaundice. Adults usually do not show symptoms and are known as asymptomatic.

Signs and tests:

An examination by your health care provider may occasionally show an enlarged spleen.

This condition is diagnosed by looking at the shape of blood cells under a microscope. The following tests may also be done:

Complete blood count (CBC) to check for anemia or red blood cell destruction
Blood smear to determine cell shape
Bilirubin level (may be high)
LDL "bad" cholesterol level (may be high)
Ultrasound of the abdomen (may show gallstones)

Ovalocytoses

Blood cells

Reviewed last on: 11/10/2008
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

Jeng MR. Hematologic problems in immigrants from Southeast Asia. Hematol Oncol Clin North Am. Dec 2004;18(6):1405-22, x.

Laosombat V, Dissaneevate S, Wongchanchailert M, Satayasevanaa B. Neonatal anemia associated with Southeast Asian ovalocytosis. Int J Hematol. 2005 Oct;82(3):201-5.

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