Red Blood Cell

Protocols

HYPOCHROMIA (Increase in central pallor)
• Iron deficiency anaemia
• Thalassaemia
• Sideroblastic anaemia
• Anaemias of chronic diseases


MACROCYTES
(Larger than small lymphocytes)
• Myeloblastic anaemia
• Hepatic disease
• B deficiency
• Aplastic anaemia
• Congenital dyserythropoietic anaemia
• Pure red cell aplasia


TARGET CELLS
• Obstructive liver disease
• Thalassaemia
• Haemoglobin ‘C’ disease
• Haemoglobin ‘D’ disease


SPHEROCYTES
• Hereditary spherocytes
• Autoimmune haemolytic anaemia
• Cl. welchii infection
• Post-burn patients


LEUCOERYTHROBLASTIC PICTURE
(Immature myeloid and erythroid cells
appearing in peripheral blood)
• Myeloproliferative disorders:
– Polycythemia vera
– Myelofibrosis
• Haemolytic anaemias
• Leukaemias
• Bone marrow involvement with Hodgkin’s
carcinoma or lymphoma
• Leukaemoid reactions.


RETICULOCYTE COUNT
Stained with brilliant cresyl blue appears as bluish
strands in cytoplasm due to precipitation of ribosomes
and RNA.
(Normal 0.1-2%).
Increased
• Haemolytic anaemia
• Nutritional anaemia on therapy

Reduced:

 -Aplastic anaemia
• PNH.


INCREASED PLASMA HAEMOGLOBIN

(Normal 0.4 mg/100 ml)
• G6 PD deficiency
• PNH
• Black water fever
• Cold haemoglobinuria
• Autoimmune haemolytic anaemia.


LEUCOCYTE ALKALINE
PHOSPHATASE SCORE

Increased
• Infection
• Leukaemoid reaction
• Myelofibrosis
• Aplastic anaemia
• Polycythemia vera.
Decreased
• Chronic myeloid leukaemia
• Paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria.



COOMB’S TEST
It is positive in autoimmune haemolytic anaemia
i. Idiopathic.


ii. Secondary to
• Lymphoma
• Infectious mononucleosis
• Mycoplasma pneumonia
• Cold agglutinin disease

ESR raised
• Pregnancy from 4th month
• Anaemia (except sickle cell)
• Acute myocardial infarction
• Carcinomatosis
• Pulmonary tuberculosis
• Acute gout
• Extensive tissue damage-burns
• Acute infections
• After fracture and operation.

ESR very rapid increase
• Temporal arteritis
• Kala-azar
• Some cases of multiple myeloma
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Leukaemia
• Haemolytic anaemia
• Chronic renal disease
• Sarcoidosis

ESR decreased
• Polycythaemia vera
• Congestive cardiac failure
• Whooping cough, dehydration.


COAGULATION TIME
Normal values for clotting time are 9-15 minutes.
Reduced
• After meals
• In typhoid
• After haemorrhage and general anaesthesia
• In endocarditis
• After splenectomy.
Prolonged
• In haemophilia A, B, and Factor XI deficiency
• Obstructive jaundice
• Chloroform and phosphorus poisoning. Here the
fibrinogen forming function of liver in hampered
• Excessive CO2 in blood
• Occasionally in leukaemia.

 

HCT: increase

1. Plasma Leakage (eg. In Dengue)

2. Polycythaemia Rubra Vera (>0.52

males, > 0.48 females)

3. True' polycythaemia (-Absolute

erythrocytosis)

Males > 0.60

Females > 0.56

4. Relative erythrocytosis

Diuretics

Smoking

Obesity

Alcohol excess

Gaisbock's syndrome

 

 

HCT: decrease

Anaemia

↑MCHC: Increase

1. Severe prolonged dehydration.

2. Hereditary spherocytosis.

3. Cold agglutinin disease.

 


MCHC: decrease

1. Iron deficiency anaemia.

2. Thalassaemia.

MCV (Macrocytosis):

1. B12 or folate deficiency

2. Myelodysplasia

Note: Spuriously raised in cold

agglutinins, non-ketotic hyperosmolarity

MCV (Microcytosis)

1. Iron deficiency

2. Thalassaemia traít

3. Sideroblastic anaemia

MCV normal (in anaemia)

1. Blood loss

2. Anaemia of chronic disease