Full Blood Count

Question 1

What is WBC?

Answer 1

White blood cell count

Question 2

What is raises WBC?

Answer 2

Leucocytosis

• Infection
• Inflammation
• Leukaemia

Question 3

What lowers WBC?

Answer 3

Leucopenia

• Autoimmune conditions
• Bone marrow failure
• Splenomegaly
• B12/folate deficinecy

Question 4

What is RBC?

Answer 4

Red blood cell count

Question 5

What causes raised RBC?

Answer 5

Dehydration
Bone marrow over production
Obstructive lung disease

Question 6

What causes a low RBC?

Answer 6

Anaemia
Bleeding
Kidney disease

Question 7

What is Hb?

Answer 7

Haemoglobin

Question 8

What causes raised Hb?

Answer 8

Dehydration

Lung disease

Question 9

What causes low Hb?

Answer 9

Iron deficiency
B12/folate deficiency
Bleeding
Kidney disease

Question 10

What is Hct?

Answer 10

Haematocrit

- proportion of blood that is made up of cells

Question 11

What causes a raised Hct?

Answer 11

Dehydration

Polycythaemia

Question 12

What causes a low Hct?

Answer 12

Bleeding
Anaemia
Cirrhosis
Haemolysis

Question 13

What is MCV?

Answer 13

Mean corpuscular volume

- mean size of a RBC

Question 14

What causes a raised MCV?

Answer 14

B12/folate deficiency
Liver disease
Hypothyroidism
Pregnancy

Question 15

What causes a low MCV?

Answer 15

Iron deficiency

Thalassaemia

Question 16

What is MCH?

Answer 16

Mean corpuscular haemoglobin

- mean amount of Hb

Question 17

What causes a raised MCH?

Answer 17

Macrocytic anaemia

Question 18

What causes a low MCH?

Answer 18

Iron deficiency

Thalassaemia

Question 19

What causes an increase in platelets?

Answer 19

Bleeding
Inflammation
Inection
Absent/underactive spleen

Question 20

What causes a decrease in platelets?

Answer 20

Immune conditions (ITP, SLE)
Chemotherapy
Alchoholism
Liver disease