Lead exposure has which effect on the blood?

Lead exposure has which effect on the blood?

• A. Anemia
• B. Leukemia
• C. Thrombocytopenia
• D. Polycythemia

Answer: (A)

Lead exposure disrupts the production of heme, the iron-containing part of hemoglobin, by inhibiting enzymes in the heme synthesis pathway (notably ALAD and ferrochelatase). This reduces hemoglobin production, leading to smaller, paler red blood cells and a reduction in overall hemoglobin—characteristics of anemia. A blood smear may also show basophilic stippling due to accumulated RNA remnants in red cells. Leukemia, thrombocytopenia, and polycythemia describe other blood conditions not caused by lead’s effect on heme synthesis, so they don’t fit the typical blood-change pattern seen with lead exposure.

Lead exposure disrupts the production of heme, the iron-containing part of hemoglobin, by inhibiting enzymes in the heme synthesis pathway (notably ALAD and ferrochelatase). This reduces hemoglobin production, leading to smaller, paler red blood cells and a reduction in overall hemoglobin—characteristics of anemia. A blood smear may also show basophilic stippling due to accumulated RNA remnants in red cells. Leukemia, thrombocytopenia, and polycythemia describe other blood conditions not caused by lead’s effect on heme synthesis, so they don’t fit the typical blood-change pattern seen with lead exposure.