Elliptocytosis affects about 1 in every 4,000-5,000 people. It is most common in people of African and Mediterranean descent. You are more likely to develop this condition if someone in your family has had it.
Symptoms:
Long-term jaundice in the newborn
Jaundice in persons other than a newborn
Fatigue
Shortness of breath
Signs and tests:
An examination by your health care provider may occasionally show an enlarged spleen.
The following tests may help diagnose the condition:
CBC (complete blood count) may show anemia or cell destruction.
A smear of the blood may show elliptical red blood cells.
Cholecystogram (x-ray of gallbladder) may show gallstones.
Review Date: 4/1/2007
Reviewed By: Mark Levin, MD, Hematologist and Oncologist, Newark, NJ. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
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Hematology
