Can anemia cause an enlarged spleen?
(Splenomegaly) Many disorders can make the spleen enlarge. Many disorders, including infections, anemias, and cancers, can cause an enlarged spleen. Symptoms are usually not very specific but can include fullness or pain in the upper left abdomen or back.
What does it mean if your spleen is palpable?
Clinically, if a spleen is palpable (felt via external examination), it means it is enlarged as it has to undergo at least twofold enlargement to become palpable. However, the tip of the spleen may be palpable in a newborn baby up to three months of age….Definition.
| Age | Cutoff |
|---|---|
| 15 years | 12.0 cm for girls 13.0 cm for boys |
Why does anemia cause splenomegaly?
With the worsening of anemia, the degree of compensatory extramedullary hematopoiesis in the body increases, and the incidence of splenomegaly also increases.
Which anemia has splenomegaly?
Megaloblastic anemia (MA) is a common disorder with varied manifestations. It generally results in mild to moderate splenomegaly which is due to sequestration of macrocytic erythrocytes in spleen.
Can the spleen cause iron deficiency?
The spleen may play a harmful role in causing certain kinds of anemia by improperly destroying red blood cells. Symptoms of anemia include paleness, weakness, and shortness of breath; and anemia can cause an abnormal stress on the heart.
Can B12 deficiency cause enlarged spleen?
Other symptoms of untreated vitamin B12 deficiency may include: Weight loss. Heart and blood vessel disease. An enlarged spleen and liver.
Can the spleen be palpated?
The spleen is not normally palpable except in slender young adults. When the spleen can be felt below the left costal margin, at rest or on inspiration, splenic enlargement should be assumed and the explanation sought.
What does borderline enlarged spleen mean?
An enlarged spleen is not always a sign of a problem. When a spleen becomes enlarged, though, it often means it has been doing its job but has become overactive. For example, sometimes the spleen is overactive in removing and destroying blood cells.
Is an enlarged spleen palpable?
The normal spleen is usually not palpable, although it can sometimes be palpated in adolescents and individuals with a slender build. However, an enlarged or palpable spleen is not necessarily of clinical significance.
Is there splenomegaly in iron deficiency anemia?
IDA is correlated with the incidence of splenomegaly, and the incidence of splenomegaly significantly increases as the severity of IDA increases. This is considered to be caused by extramedullary hematopoiesis.
Does B12 deficiency cause splenomegaly?
Deficiency of vitamin B12 is a well known cause of megaloblastic anemia and pancytopenia. Splenomegaly and leukoerythroblastosis are much less well known manifestations of B12 deficiency.
What does anemia do to the spleen?
Symptoms of anemia include paleness, weakness, and shortness of breath; and anemia can cause an abnormal stress on the heart. The spleen may also inappropriately destroy platelets, causing thrombocytopenia (a low platelet count).
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