Table of contents:
- What are the classifications of anemia?
- What are the types of anemia?
- 1. Iron deficiency anemia
- 2. Vitamin deficiency anemia
- 3. Aplastic anemia
- 4. Sickle cell anemia
- 5. Thalassemia anemia
- 6.Glycemic-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency anemia
- 7.Autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AHA)
- 8. Diamond Blackfan Anemia (DBA)
- 9. Fanconi anemia
- 10. Sideroblastic anemia
Anemia is a blood disorder characterized by an insufficient number of red blood cells from normal limits. That is why, this condition is also called anemia. There are various identified anemia. These types fall into a classification that is differentiated based on the causes of anemia and their respective symptoms. Knowing the type of anemia can make it easier for you to determine the right treatment or prevention steps for anemia.
What are the classifications of anemia?
The most common classification of anemia is based on the level of concentration of total red blood cells or hemoglobin in the blood. Hemoglobin is an iron-rich protein that gives blood its red color. This protein helps red blood cells carry oxygen from the lungs throughout the body.
If you are deficient in hemoglobin, all of your cells, tissues, and organs do not get enough of the oxygen and nutrients that your blood normally passes. As a result, you can feel tired or weak for no reason. You may also experience other symptoms of anemia, such as shortness of breath, dizziness or headache, to pale skin.
According to the World Health Organization, WHO, anemia is a condition in which the hemoglobin level is less than 12 g / dL (grams per deciliter) in adult women or less than 13.0 g / dL in adult men.
From there, the classification of the severity of anemia is classified into mild, moderate, and severe, depending on how low the hemoglobin level is in the blood.
Classification of anemia can also be subdivided based on the characteristics of the shape of the red blood cells produced, which include:
- Macrocytic (large red blood cells), for example megaloblastic anemia, B12 and folate deficiency anemia, anemia due to liver disease, and anemia due to hypothyroidism.
- Microcytic (red blood cells are too small), for example sideroblastic anemia, iron deficiency anemia, and thalassemia.
- Normocytic (normal size red blood cells), for example anemia due to bleeding (hemorrhagic anemia), anemia due to chronic disease or infection, autoimmune hemolytic anemia, aplastic anemia.
There are also those who divide the types of anemia according to the basic cause, namely anemia due to disruption of erythrocyte formation in the bone marrow, anemia due to bleeding (loss of a lot of blood from the body), and anemia caused by the process of destroying erythrocytes prematurely.
What are the types of anemia?
Apart from the classification above, there are currently more than 400 types of anemia that have been identified in the world. However, there are 9 types of anemia that are most common, including:
1. Iron deficiency anemia
Iron deficiency anemia is a type of anemia caused by low levels of iron in the blood. Without enough iron, the body cannot produce enough hemoglobin to carry oxygen to all body tissues.
Iron deficiency is generally caused by a lack of nutritional intake from healthy foods, or due to accidental trauma that causes a lot of bleeding so that iron supplies are also lost.
2. Vitamin deficiency anemia
As the name suggests, this type of anemia occurs when the body lacks the intake of vitamins that play an important role in the formation of healthy red blood cells. Some of these vitamins are vitamin B12, B9 or folate (also known as folic acid), and vitamin C. Megaloblastic anemia and pernicious anemia are types of anemia that are specifically caused by a deficiency of vitamin B12 or folate.
Apart from lack of nutritious food intake, vitamin deficiency anemia can also be caused by problems with the digestive system or absorption of food. This can occur in some people with wound problems or intestinal disorders, such as Celiac disease, making it difficult to properly process or absorb vitamin B12, vitamin C, or folic acid.
On the other hand, the risk of vitamin deficiency anemia can also increase when the body's need for vitamins increases but efforts to meet them are still not enough, for example in pregnant women and cancer sufferers.
3. Aplastic anemia
Aplastic anemia is when your body stops producing enough new, healthy red blood cells. This is a fairly serious condition, but rare. This condition occurs due to damage or abnormalities in your bone marrow. Bone marrow itself is a stem cell that produces blood components, starting from red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets.
Damage to the bone marrow can slow or shut down the production of new blood cells. So in people with aplastic anemia, their bone marrow may be empty (aplastic) or contain very few blood cells (hypoplastic).
4. Sickle cell anemia
Sickle cell anemia is classified as anemia due to heredity. This type of anemia is caused by genetic defects in the genes that make up hemoglobin in your blood. You could be at risk for sickle cell anemia if either of your parents has a mutated gene that triggers sickle cell anemia.
This genetic mutation then causes the produced piece of red blood cell to be shaped like a crescent moon, with a stiff and sticky texture. Supposedly, healthy red blood cells are round and flat that easily flow in the vessels.
5. Thalassemia anemia
Thalassemia is also one type of anemia that runs in families. Thalassemia occurs when the body makes an abnormal form of hemoglobin. As a result, the red blood cells can't function properly and don't carry enough oxygen.
Abnormal blood cells are caused by genetic mutations or the loss of certain important genes in blood-making factors.
The symptoms of thalassemia depend on the severity of the condition and the type you have. People with moderate or severe thalassemia are at risk for growth problems, enlarged spleen, bone problems, and jaundice.
6.Glycemic-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency anemia
G6PD deficiency anemia occurs when your red blood cells lose an important enzyme called G6PD. A lack of the G6PD enzyme causes your red blood cells to break down and die when they come into contact with certain substances in the bloodstream. This anemia is a type of blood deficiency due to heredity.
For those of you who have G6PD deficiency anemia, infection, severe stress, and intake of certain foods or drugs can cause red blood cell damage. Some examples of these triggers include antimalarial drugs, aspirin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and sulfa drugs.
7.Autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AHA)
Hemolytic anemia is a classification for the type of anemia that can be inherited or not, aka acquired during life. The cause is not clear. Provisional suspicion, this autoimmune hemolytic anemia causes the immune system to mistake healthy red blood cells as something that is threatening. As a result, antibodies react to attack and destroy it.
8. Diamond Blackfan Anemia (DBA)
Diamond Blackfan Anemia (DBA) is a rare blood disorder that is usually diagnosed in children during their first year of life. Children with DBA don't make enough red blood cells.
For the most part, signs or symptoms of anemia appear by 2 months of age, and a diagnosis of DBA is usually made in the first year of a child's life.
DBA sufferers experience common symptoms of anemia, such as:
- Pale skin
- Drowsiness
- Irritability
- Fast heart rate
- Heart murmur
In some cases, there are no obvious physical symptoms of DBA. However, about 30-47% of people with DBA have birth defects or abnormal features that commonly involve the face, head, and hands (especially the thumbs).
In addition, people with DBA may also have defects of the heart, kidneys, urinary tract, and genital organs. Children with DBA tend to have a shorter age and may experience puberty later than normal children.
DBA can be passed down through families. About half of pediatric patients diagnosed with an abnormal gene disorder have been identified and could contribute to the cause of DBA. In other children with DBA, no abnormal gene is found and the cause is unknown.
Possible treatments for anemia include medications, blood transfusions, and bone marrow transplant. DBA was once thought of as a disease that occurs only in children. With more successful treatment, many children are surviving into adulthood and more adults are now living with the disease.
About 20% of people with DBA experience remission after treatment. Remission means that signs and symptoms of anemia have disappeared for more than six months without treatment. Remissions can last for years or even be permanent.
A common complication of DBA is iron overload, which can affect the heart and liver. This condition results from a transfusion that is required for treatment.
9. Fanconi anemia
Quoted from Stanford Children's Health, fanconi anemia is a blood disorder in which the bone marrow does not make enough blood cells or makes abnormal types of blood cells. This condition can run in families, passed down from generation to generation.
Most people with fanconi anemia are diagnosed between the ages of 2 and 15. People who have this anemia may only live for 20-30 years.
Here are some signs and symptoms of fanconi anemia:
- Birth defects involving the kidneys, hands, feet, bones, spine, vision, or hearing
- Low birth weight
- Difficulty eating
- Lack of desire to eat
- Learning disabilities
- Delayed or slow growth
- Little head
- Fatigue
- Anemia or low blood count
Women with fanconi anemia may menstruate later than other women and have difficulty getting pregnant or having labor. They may also experience premature menopause.
Suffering from fanconi anemia can increase the risk of certain types of cancer, such as leukemia, tumors in the mouth or esophagus, to cancer of the reproductive organs.
10. Sideroblastic anemia
Sideroblastic anemia is a rare type of anemia, characterized by the presence of excess iron.
Sideroblastic anemia is caused by the bone marrow producing immature blood cells (sideroblast) are ring-shaped, instead of disc strips like healthy red blood cells (erythrocytes).
In people who have sideroblastic anemia, the body has iron but cannot get it into hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is the protein needed by red blood cells to transport oxygen efficiently.
Excess iron in the body makes immature cells contain lots of free radicals which can destroy healthy red blood cells. As a result, red blood cells die faster and decrease in number.
The symptoms of sideroblastic anemia are similar to the symptoms of anemia in general, such as fatigue and difficulty breathing. Some of the other symptoms of sideroblastic anemia include:
- Pale skin color
- Rapid heart rate (tachycardia)
- Headache
- Heart palpitations
- Chest pain
Sideroblastic anemia is a condition that can be treated with certain treatments, such as vitamin B6 supplements, iron-reducing drugs, blood transfusions, and bone marrow transplants.
Although some types of anemia are inherited and inevitable, some can prevent other types of anemia, by eating nutritious blood-boosting foods and meeting the needs of vitamins that play a role in the formation of red blood cells.
