• Overview
• Inheritance
• Symptoms
  • The Liver and Spleen
  • The Blood
  • The Bones
• Testing
• Treatment
• Resources

The Blood

Abnormalities of the blood are common in Gaucher disease. Anemia, a shortage of red blood cells, occurs when these cells are destroyed faster than they can be produced. Red blood cells carry oxygen to the tissues of the body; anemia results in a lack of oxygen to these tissues, causing fatigue and weakness. Thrombocytopenia, a shortage of platelets (a type of blood cell involved in blood clotting), is also seen in Gaucher disease. A low number of platelets leads to slower clotting, resulting in bleeding and easy bruising.

Monitoring

People with Gaucher disease need frequent blood tests to monitor the effects of the disease and its treatment on their blood and other organs. People who receive Gaucher disease treatment often have their blood test results return to normal over time. Some or all of the following laboratory tests may need to be done periodically: