Traumatic hemolytic anemia is intravascular hemolysis caused by excessive shear or turbulence in the circulation.

Trauma may originate outside the vessel, as in skeletal impact, eg, repetitive foot striking (march hemoglobinuria) or from karate or bongo playing; within the heart across a pressure gradient, as in calcific aortic stenosis or with faulty aortic valve prostheses; in arterioles, as in severe (especially malignant) hypertension, some malignant tumors, or polyarteritis nodosa; or in end arterioles, often across fibrin deposits, as in thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura and disseminated intravascular coagulation. The trauma causes odd-shaped RBC fragments (eg, triangles, helmet shapes) called schistocytes in the peripheral blood; their appearance on the peripheral smear is diagnostic. The small schistocytes cause low MCV and high RBC distribution width (the latter reflecting the anisocytosis).

Treatment addresses the underlying process. Iron deficiency anemia occasionally is superimposed on the hemolysis as a result of chronic hemosiderinuria and, when present, responds to iron-replacement therapy.

Last full review/revision February 2009 by Alan E. Lichtin, MD

Content last modified June 2010