| This peripheral blood smear demonstrates many larger bluish reticulocytes as well as smaller RBC's lacking central pallor--spherocytes. This patient had an autoimmune hemolytic anemia. Antibody coated the RBC's, and portions of the RBC's were removed, decreasing cell size. Many RBC's were removed entirely, resulting in anemia and a bone marrow response with increased erythropoiesis and elevated reticulocyte count (20%). The patient developed an indirect hyperbilirubinemia as well. |
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