MCV (Mean Corpuscular Volume)
-Definition
-Level (normal) (3)
-Low level / Indicates (3)
-High level / Indicates correct answer: Definition:
-Measures average RBC volume (actual size of the cell) (of
individual erythrocyte)
-Determines the volume of the average RBC in femtoliters
Lab Values:
–Normocytic: 80-100
Anemias:
- Anemia of chronic disease
- Early IDA
- Acute blood loss
–Microcytic: < 80 (most in peds anemias – new production is
small RBCs) - Lead poisoning
- Iron deficiency
- Thalassemia
–Macrocytic: >100 (most adult anemias; virtually nonexistent
in peds) - Hypothyroid
- B12 or folate deficiency
- Bone marrow failure syndromes
- Fanconi anemia (Constitutional Aplastic Anemia)
- Sickle cell
MCHC (Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin Concentration)
-Definition
-Importance of Value
-Level (normal) (3)
-Low level / Indicates (3)
-High level / Indicates correct answer: Definition:
-Average concentration of hemoglobin in each RBC
–color More accurate measure than MCH (Mean Corpuscular
hemoglobin)
Importance of Value:
-Used in determining type and severity of anemia
-Mirrors MCV
Lab Values:
–Normochromic: 32%-36%
Anemias: - Anemia of chronic disease
- Early IDA
- Acute blood loss
–Hypochromic: <32% (anemias) (Pediatric) - Lead poisoning
- Iron deficiency
- Thalassemia
–Hyperchromic: >36% (most texts deny the existence of this
state – impossible for RBC to be too red)
MCH
-Definition correct answer: -Expression of the average amount
and weight of Hgb contained in single erythrocyte (not useful)
uses the WBC count anemia RBC count decrease not as useful it
moves Normal 26 to 36 pgs
Red (blood cell) distribution width (RDW) /
Red cell distribution width (RCDW)
-Definition
-Importance of Value
-Level (normal) / Indicates (1-2)
-High level / Indicates (1-2) correct answer: Definition:
-A measure of the range of variation of red blood cell (RBC)
volume/size
-Red cell size and shape variation: Anisocytosis Decrease
response with increase and new RBC quickly making different
sizes and shapes
-Increased level: indicates mixed population of RBCs
-Immature RBCs are larger or smaller than mature RBCs, so an
increase is associated with anemias
-Differentiates between iron deficiency anemia (IDA),
thalassemia, and anemia of chronic disease (ACD) - IDA: RDW is increased
- Thalassemia: RDW is normal or slightly increased
- ACD: RDW is normal
How does the MCV and MCHC affect the RDW level? correct
answer: -If MCV and MCHC are ↓, the RDW is usually ↑.
-If MCV and MCHC are low, the body is quickly making more
RBCs and spitting them out into the system causing them to be
immature (AKA different sizes between mature and immature –
causing RDW to go ↑)
Definition:
-RDW: A measure of the range of variation of red blood cell
(RBC) volume/size
What anemic disorders use folic acid as part of their
management method? correct answer: 1. Sickle Cell Anemia - Thalassemia
What diagnosis relates to these findings? - Nucleated RBCs
- H/H: Low
- RBC: Low
- Reticulocytes: High
- WBC: elevated
- Indirect Bili: elevated
- Platelet: elevated correct answer: Sickle Cell Anemia
Reticulocyte count
-Definition
-Importance of Value