№ 2Hematology14 min read
Megaloblastic anemia
1. Big picture
Megaloblastic anemia is the classic macrocytic anemia caused by defective DNA synthesis. The examiner wants you to recognize this pattern:
fatigue + pallor + MCV >100 fL + hypersegmented neutrophils ± glossitis ± neurological symptoms → think vitamin B12 or folate deficiency.
The key clinical danger is missing vitamin B12 deficiency, because folic acid can improve the anemia while allowing irreversible neurological damage to progress.
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