Which disease involves abnormally shaped red blood cells that cause anemia and can lead to vaso-occlusion and organ damage?

Which disease involves abnormally shaped red blood cells that cause anemia and can lead to vaso-occlusion and organ damage?

• A. Sickle cell anemia
• B. Atrial fibrillation
• C. Varicose veins
• D. Hypothermia

Answer: (A)

Sickle cell disease is defined by red blood cells that become abnormally shaped, typically crescent or "sickle" shaped when hemoglobin is deoxygenated. These stiff, misshapen cells are prone to sticking together and to the walls of small blood vessels, which slows or blocks blood flow. The result is hemolytic anemia from the destruction of these cells and, more importantly, vaso-occlusive crises that can cause severe pain and progressive organ damage due to repeated ischemia in tissues like the spleen, kidneys, lungs, and brain. In short, the combination of chronic anemia and vaso-occlusion with potential organ injury is the hallmark of this disease.

The other conditions mentioned don’t involve red blood cells or this pattern of blockage and tissue injury. Atrial fibrillation concerns heart rhythm, varicose veins involve dilation of superficial veins, and hypothermia is an abnormally low body temperature—none of which describe abnormally shaped red blood cells causing anemia and vascular occlusion.