Sandeep Barve 1 , Darshana Patel 2 , K. K. Shiromani 3 , Ashish Jawarkar 4
ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Latest technologies have made it easier for the pathologist and clinician to diagnose any case of anemia. Automated cell counters are widely used since last two decades that have further facilitated and made it easy for the clinicians to reach to the root cause of anemia. RBC count and entire RBC indices along with HB estimation gives a definite idea as to what could be the cause of anemia. The whole spectrum of RBC indices i.e. MCV, MCH and MCHC along with RBC count, PCV and Hemoglobin estimation plays a vital role to analyze the cause of anemia. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A cross sectional study was carried out at Parul Institute of Medical Science and Research, Limda, Vadodara, Gujarat. Investigations of RBC count and RBC indices of patients were carried out on fully automated cell counter – by Merck diagnostics. Study included 700 patients with Hemoglobin <10gm% which included males and females of age group 15-50 years. RESULTS: Total 700 anemic patients with Hemoglobin < 10gm% were enrolled in the study. Among them 569 were females which included pregnant females also and 131 were males. Patients were of age group 15-50 years. Data revealed that 45 % of patients had iron deficiency anemia, 14 % had megaloblastic anemia, 13% had hemolytic anemia, 6 % had anemia due to chronic illness whereas 10 % had dimorphic type of anemia. In iron deficiency anemia, blood picture showed relatively high to normal RBC count and PCV i.e. hematocrit, typically low MCV and MCH values and low to normal MCHC. In megaloblastic anemia, RBC count was very low due to premature destruction of RBC’s and they had low PCV whereas high to very high MCV, MCH and MCHC values. In hemolytic anemia it is seen that RBC count is low and so is the PCV or hematocrit while such patients have normal to high MCV and normal MCH and MCHC. In anemia of chronic disease all parameters are relatively normal except low to normal MCV. CONCLUSION: RBC indices vary in different types of anemia and are used routinely by clinicians to reach presumptive diagnosis and further investigate the case of anemia and reach final diagnosis.
