clinical application case study

A man of Mediterranean ancestry goes to his doctor with the following symptoms: he is very tired all of the time, and he has difficulty catching his breath after even mild exercise. His doctor orders the following tests: CBC, hematocrit, and differential WBC count. The tests show immature erythrocytes, fragile erythrocytes, and less than 2 million RBCs per cubic millimeter. What would be a tentative diagnosis and suggested treatment?

a.) The diagnosis is thalassemia. The treatment is blood transfusion.
b.) The diagnosis is polycythemia. The treatment is phlebotomy to reduce the number of RBCs.
c.) The diagnosis is erythropoietin deficiency. The treatment is regular erythropoietin injections.
d.) The diagnosis is emphysema. The treatment is to quit smoking and take bronchodilators.
e.) The diagnosis is anemia. The treatment is iron supplementation.