A 20-year-old male presents with fatigue, shortness of breath, and dark-colored urine. He has a family history of a similar problem. Lab tests show a low red blood cell count, and a peripheral smear shows spherocytes. What is the likely cause, and what are the next steps?
The patient's symptoms and laboratory findings suggest a possible diagnosis of hereditary spherocytosis, an inherited disorder characterized by the production of spherically shaped red blood cells that are prone to hemolysis, leading to hemolytic anemia. The next step would be to confirm the diagnosis with tests such as the osmotic fragility test or EMA binding test. The mainstay of treatment for severe cases is usually a splenectomy.