A SEVEN-YEAR-OLD MALE WITH CIRCULATING RED BLOOD CELLS SHOWING A THERMAL INJURY-LIKE MORPHOLOGY.

A seven-year-old African-American male presented with a history of hematuria, proteinuria, jaundice, and anemia occasionally treated with transfusions since early childhood. The family history included a father and sister with similar symptoms of anemia, both of which had been diagnosed with hereditary pyropoikilocytosis. Due to the patient's family history and symptoms indicating a possible hematologic problem, a blood draw was performed. Laboratory studies showed an elevated alkaline phosphatase and bilirubin, and hemolytic anemia with unusual erythrocyte indices. The patient's vital signs and abdominal ultrasound were normal, and he had no known allergies. Examination of the patient's peripheral blood smear revealed extreme erythrocyte poikilocytosis with bizarre forms resembling the erythrocyte morphology sometimes seen in individuals with severe thermal burns.