Question

List and describe three disorders involving \(\mathrm{RBCs}\), three disorders involving \(\mathrm{WBCs}\), and two disorders involving platelets. (pages \(121,123,\) and 125 )

Short answer

Three disorders involving RBCs are: 1. Anemia: a condition resulting from a lack of healthy red blood cells, leading to fatigue, weakness, and pale skin. 2. Sickle cell disease: an inherited disorder causing red blood cells to become sickle-shaped, leading to pain, infections, and organ damage. 3. Polycythemia vera: a slow-growing blood cancer causing overproduction of red blood cells, resulting in increased blood volume and thickness. Three disorders involving WBCs are: 1. Leukemia: a cancer affecting white blood cells, causing an abnormally high number of immature white blood cells and reducing immune system efficiency. 2. Lymphoma: a cancer that begins in lymphocytes, with two main types being Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. 3. Neutropenia: a condition with low neutrophil count, making individuals more susceptible to infections. Two disorders involving platelets are: 1. Thrombocytopenia: a disorder characterized by a low number of platelets, leading to easy bruising and bleeding. 2. Hemophilia: an inherited genetic disorder causing blood to not clot properly due to a defect in clotting factors, leading to frequent and prolonged bleeding.

Step-by-step solution

Disorders involving Red Blood Cells (RBCs)

1. Anemia: Anemia is a condition in which the person's body does not have enough healthy red blood cells to provide adequate oxygen to the body tissues. This can be caused by a lack of iron in the diet, blood loss, chronic diseases, or inherited disorders. Symptoms of anemia include fatigue, weakness, shortness of breath, and pale or yellow skin. 2. Sickle cell disease: Sickle cell disease is a group of inherited red blood cell disorders in which the red blood cells become sickle-shaped, stiff, and sticky. This abnormal shape makes it difficult for blood to flow through small blood vessels, potentially leading to severe pain, infections, and organ damage. The disease most commonly affects people of African, Middle Eastern, Mediterranean, or Indian descent. 3. Polycythemia vera: This is a slow-growing blood cancer that causes an overproduction of red blood cells, leading to an increased blood volume and thickness. Symptoms may include headache, dizziness, shortness of breath, and difficulty with concentration. There is no cure, but treatment usually involves bloodletting to reduce the volume of red blood cells in the body.

Disorders involving White Blood Cells (WBCs)

1. Leukemia: Leukemia is a type of cancer that affects the white blood cells. In this disease, the body produces an abnormally high number of immature white blood cells, which reduces the efficiency of the immune system. Symptoms may include fever, fatigue, frequent infections, and easy bruising or bleeding. 2. Lymphoma: Lymphoma is another type of cancer that begins in the white blood cells called lymphocytes. There are two main types of lymphoma: Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Symptoms may include swollen lymph nodes, fatigue, fever, night sweats, and unexplained weight loss. 3. Neutropenia: Neutropenia is a condition in which the body has a low number of neutrophils, a type of white blood cell that helps fight infections. This can be caused by various factors such as certain medications, chemotherapy, or an underlying medical condition. People with neutropenia are more susceptible to infections, and they may experience fever, easy bruising, and slow healing of cuts and wounds.

Disorders involving Platelets

1. Thrombocytopenia: Thrombocytopenia is a disorder characterized by the low number of platelets in the blood, which are essential for blood clotting. This can be caused by several factors like autoimmune diseases, viral infections, or certain medications like chemotherapy. Symptoms may include easy bruising, heavy or prolonged menstrual periods, nosebleeds, and bleeding gums. 2. Hemophilia: Hemophilia is an inherited genetic disorder in which the blood does not clot properly due to a defect in the blood clotting factors. The disorder is usually seen in males, and symptoms include frequent bruises, spontaneous bleeding, and prolonged bleeding after injuries. Treatment typically involves infusions of clotting factor to prevent or control bleeding episodes.