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| Poikilocytosis Classification and external resources |
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| ICD-10 | R71. |
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| ICD-9 | 790.09 |
| DiseasesDB | 10207 |
Poikilocytosis refers to the presence in the blood of poikilocytes. Poikilocytes are abnormally shaped red blood cells as seen on a blood film. Rather than being seen as a sign of any one disease, poikilocytosis is a rather general condition. There may, however, be a predominance of one particular type of abnormally shaped red cells, some of which may indicate possible presence of a specific disease or disorder. [1]Normal red blood cells are round, flattened disks that are thinner in the middle than at the edges, whereas a poikilocyte is either a distortion of that normal shape or an entirely different shape. Generally, poikilocytosis can refer to an increase in abnormal red blood cells of any shape where they make up 10% or more of the total population.
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Causes of poikilocytosis
Abnormal red blood cells are seen in a wide range of conditions, so poikilocytosis is not specific. However, specific types of poikilocytes may be seen in particular disease states and/or disorders.
Membrane Abnormalities
- Acanthocytes or Spur/Spike cells
- Codocytes or Target cells
- Echinocytes and Burr cells
- Elliptocytes and Ovalocytes
- Spherocytes
- Stomatocytes or Mouth cells
Trauma
- Dacrocytes or Teardrop Cells
- Keratocytes
- Microspherocytes and Pyropoikilocytes
- Schistocytes
- Semilunar bodies
Treatment
In all cases, the treatment of poikilocytosis depends on its cause. For example, poikilocytosis can be caused by a vitamin deficiency, in which case the treatment is to take Vitamin B12 or folic acid. It can be caused by a digestive disease, such as celiac disease, in which case the solution may lie in treating the underlying celiac disease so that nutrients can be properly absorbed.
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- This page was last modified on 1 October 2008, at 20:52.
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