Question

A 16-year-old boy presents for a wellness examination; he is doing well academically and socially. Past medical history is significant for hereditary spherocytosis, diagnosed at age 3. His anemia has usually been moderate, with his lowest hemoglobin at 12.5 gm/dL. He has required a transfusion on one occasion at age 7 due to a hemolytic crisis brought about by an acute viral infection. Growth and development have been normal, and immunizations are current. Vital signs are normal. The spleen is palpable 2 cm below the left costal margin and there is mild icterus.

What chronic treatment should this patient receive?
A-Vitamin D
B-Vitamin B12
C-Folate
D-Iron

Answer 1

The chronic treatment recommended for a 16-year-old boy with hereditary spherocytosis, presenting with mild icterus and splenomegaly, is folate supplementation.

Step-by-step explanation:

The 16-year-old boy with a medical history of hereditary spherocytosis has been managing moderate anemia with a history of transfusion during a hemolytic crisis. The presence of mild icterus and a palpable spleen suggests ongoing hemolysis. In hereditary spherocytosis, folate supplementation is commonly recommended due to the high turnover of red blood cells, which increases the demand for folate within the body necessary for erythropoiesis (red cell production). Thus, the chronic treatment this patient should receive is folate supplementation (C).