Question
A 26 year old women with third degree burns developed septic shock. With 24hours she was bleeding from all needle puncture sites, with extensive ecchymoses and petechiae and GI Bleeding. Lab studies showed Hb- 6gm/dl., platelet count 64000/cu mm., PT 20 seconds, PTT 50 seconds and D-dimer Positive.
The most common morphology of red blood cells seen in the peripheral smear of the above case is
Answer
Correct answer: b) Schistocytes
Schistocytes (fragmented red blood cells) are the characteristic peripheral smear finding in DIC, resulting from microangiopathic haemolysis — red cells are mechanically sheared as they pass through fibrin strands deposited within the microvasculature. (Drepanocytes are sickle cells, and codocytes are target cells — neither is characteristic of DIC.)