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A patient presents with fatigue, and a blood

count reveals a macrocytic, hyperchromic anemia.
Which one of the following may account
for this type of anemia?
(A) Lead poisoning
(B) Folate deficiency
(C) Hereditary spherocytosis
(D) Sideroblastic anemia
(E) Iron deficiency

1 Answer

3 votes

Final answer:

Macrocytic, hyperchromic anemia is most commonly caused by a folate deficiency. This nutritional deficiency can lead to enlarged red blood cells with elevated hemoglobin content, matching the description of the patient's condition.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question addresses a patient with macrocytic, hyperchromic anemia, a condition where red blood cells (RBCs) are larger than normal and have high hemoglobin concentration. This type of anemia is often linked to nutritional deficiencies, particularly a deficiency of folate and vitamin B12, which are vital for DNA synthesis and red blood cell maturation. In this case, the most likely cause for such an anemia is (B) Folate deficiency. Iron deficiency, hereditary spherocytosis, and lead poisoning are usually associated with microcytic anemia, while sideroblastic anemia can be normocytic or microcytic and is characterized by ringed sideroblasts in the bone marrow.

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