BIOLOGY

INVESTIGATORY
PROJECT ON
ANAEMIA

MADE BY: VISHAL JHA

CLASS : XII-B

CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that VISHAL JHA
of Kendriya Vidyalaya No.1
Jalahalli West,Bengaluru has
satisfactorily and successfully
completed the investigatory project
in Biology.
This is a bonafied record of
Biology investigatory project which
was done by him in the academic
year 2015-16.

……………….
Internal Examiner.
……………….
External Examiner.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to express my special
thanks of gratitude to my teacher
Mr.Narayana Dhas, our principal
Mrs.Sudesh Singh who gave me the
golden opportunity to do this
wonderful project on the topic
ANAEMIA, which also helped me in
doing a lot of research and I came to
know about so many new things.
I would like to thank our biology lab
attender Mr.Manjunath for helping me
in this project. I also like to thank my
parents and friends who helped me a
lot in doing this project.

CONTENTS
> Anaemia and its types
> Symptoms
> Causes
> Data Analysis
> Exams and Tests
> Treatment
> Bibliography
Anaemia and it’s
types
Anaemia is a condition in which the body
does not have enough healthy red blood
cells. Red blood cells provide oxygen to
body tissues. When anemia comes on
slowly the symptoms are often vague and
may include: feeling tired, weakness,
shortness of breath or a poor ability to
exercise. Anemia that comes on quickly
often has greater symptoms which may
include: confusion, feeling like one is going
to pass out, and increased thirst. Anaemia
must be significant before a person
becomes noticeably pale. Additional
symptoms may occur depending on the
underlying cause.
There are three main types of anemia: that
due to blood loss, that due to decreased red
blood cell production, and that due to
increased red blood cell breakdown. Causes
of blood loss include trauma and
gastrointestinal bleeding, among others.
Causes of decreased production include iron
deficiency, a lack of vitamin B12,
thalassemia and a number of neoplasms of
the bone marrow among others. Causes of
increased breakdown include a number of
genetic conditions such as sickle cell
anemia, infections like malaria and some
autoimmune diseases among others. It can
also be classified based on the size of red
blood cells and amount of hemoglobin in
each cell. If the cells are small it is
microcytic anemia, if they are large it is
macrocytic anemia and if they are normal
sized it is normocytic anemia. Diagnosis in
men is based on a hemoglobin of less than
130 to 140 g/L (13 to 14 g/dL), while in
women it must be less than 120 to 130 g/L
(12 to 13 g/dL). Further testing is then
required to determine the cause.
Certain groups of individuals, such as
pregnant women, benefit from the use of
iron pills for prevention. Dietary
supplementation, without determining the
specific cause, is not recommended. The
use of blood transfusions is typically based
on a person's signs and symptoms. In those
without symptoms they are not
recommended unless hemoglobin levels are
less than 60 to 80 g/L (6 to 8 g/dL).These
recommendations may also apply to some
people with acute bleeding. Erythropoiesis-
stimulating medications are only
recommended in those with severe anemia.
Anemia is the most common disorder of the
blood with it affecting about a quarter of
people globally. Iron-deficiency anemia
affects nearly 1 billion. In 2013 anemia due
to iron deficiency resulted in about 183,000
deaths – down from 213,000 deaths in
1990. It is more common in females than
males, among children, during pregnancy,
and in the elderly. Anemia increases costs
of medical care and lowers a person's
productivity through a decreased ability to
work.

Symptoms
Anemia goes undetected in many people,
and symptoms can be minor or vague. The
signs and symptoms can be related to the
underlying cause or the anemia itself. Most
commonly, people with anemia report
feelings of weakness, or fatigue, general
malaise, and sometimes poor
concentration. They may also report
dyspnea (shortness of breath) on exertion.
In very severe anemia, the body may
compensate for the lack of oxygen-carrying
capability of the blood by increasing cardiac
output. The patient may have symptoms
related to this, such as palpitations, angina
(if pre-existing heart disease is present),
intermittent claudication of the legs, and
symptoms of heart failure. On examination,
the signs exhibited may include pallor (pale
skin, lining mucosa, conjunctiva and nail
beds), but this is not a reliable sign. There
may be signs of specific causes of anemia,
e.g., koilonychia (in iron deficiency),
jaundice (when anemia results from
abnormal break down of red blood cells —
in hemolytic anemia), bone deformities
(found in thalassemia major) or leg ulcers
(seen in sickle-cell disease). In severe
anemia, there may be signs of a
hyperdynamic circulation: tachycardia (a
fast heart rate), bounding pulse, flow
murmurs, and cardiac ventricular
hypertrophy (enlargement). There may be
signs of heart failure. Pica, the consumption
of non-food items such as ice, but also
paper, wax, or grass, and even hair or dirt,
may be a symptom of iron deficiency,
although it occurs often in those who have
normal levels of hemoglobin.
Chronic anemia may result in behavioral
disturbances in children as a direct result of
impaired neurological development in
infants, and reduced scholastic
performance in children of school age.
Restless legs syndrome is more common in
those with iron-deficiency anemia.

Causes
Although many parts of the body help make
red blood cells, most of the work is done in
the bone marrow. Bone marrow is the soft
tissue in the center of bones that helps
form all blood cells.
Healthy red blood cells last between 90 and
120 days. Parts of your body then remove
old blood cells. A hormone called
erythropoietin (epo) made in your kidneys
signals your bone marrow to make more
red blood cells.
Hemoglobin is the oxygen-carrying protein
inside red blood cells. It gives red blood
cells their color. People with anemia do not
have enough hemoglobin.

The body needs certain vitamins, minerals,

and nutrients to make enough red blood
cells. Iron, vitamin B12, and folic acid are
three of the most important ones. The body
may not have enough of these nutrients
due to:
 •
Changes in the lining of the stomach or
intestines affect how well nutrients are
absorbed (for example, celiac disease)
Poor diet
•

•
Slow blood loss (for example, from
heavy menstrual periods or stomach
ulcers)
Surgery that removes part of the
•

stomach or intestines
Possible causes of anemia include:
•
Certain medicines
Destruction of red blood cells earlier
•

than normal (which may be caused by

immune system problems)
•
Long-term (chronic) diseases such as
chronic kidney disease, cancer,
ulcerative colitis, or rheumatoid arthritis
•
Some forms of anemia, such as
thalassemia or sickle cell anemia, which
can be inherited
Pregnancy
•

•
Problems with bone marrow such as
lymphoma, leukemia, myelodysplasia,
multiple myeloma, or aplastic anemia.

Comparison or anemic hand(left) with

normal hand.
 Data Analysis
WHO's Hemoglobin thresholds used to define
anemia. (1 g/dL = 0.6206 mmol/L)
Age or gender Hb threshold Hb threshold
group (g/dl) (mmol/l)
Children (0.5–5.0
11.0 6.8
yrs)
Children (5–12
11.5 7.1
yrs)
Teens (12–15 yrs) 12.0 7.4
Women, non-
12.0 7.4
pregnant (>15yrs)
Women,
11.0 6.8
pregnant
Men (>15yrs) 13.0 8.1
Data of Saint Jones Medical College ,
Bangalore

Median and interquartile range of haemoglobin concentration stratified by gender and

calendar month.
Median and interquartile range of haemoglobin concentration stratified by gender and
age.
Prevalence of mild, moderate, and severe anaemia by age in males and females.
 Median and interquartile range of the mean corpuscular volume in patients with anaemia
stratified by gender and age.
 Prevalence of macrocytic, normocytic, and microcytic anemia by age in males and
females.

Exams and Tests

The doctor will perform a physical
examination, and may find:
•
A heart murmur
 •
Low blood pressure, especially when
you stand up
•
Pale skin
Rapid heart rate
•

Some types of anemia may cause other

findings on a physical exam.
Blood tests used to diagnose some common
types of anemia may include:
•
Blood levels of iron, vitamin B12, folic
acid, and other vitamins and minerals
•
Red blood count and hemoglobin level
Reticulocyte count
•

Other tests may be done to find medical

problems that can cause anemia.
 Treatment
Treatment should be directed at the cause
of the anemia, and may include:
Blood transfusions
•

•
Corticosteroids or other medicines that
suppress the immune system
•
Erythropoietin, a medicine that helps
your bone marrow make more blood
cells
Supplements of iron, vitamin B12, folic
•

acid, or other vitamins and minerals

 Bibliography
 www.wikipedia.org
 www.medilineplus.com
 St.Jones medical college
 Britannica Encyclopedia
 http://www.mediafire.com/downloa
d/e59st37n2mb663f/PES6+Next+Season
+Patch+2016.rar