CBC Flashcards
What are some examples of H/H abnormalities?
Anemia (low Hb)
Polycythemia (high Hb/Hct) —> dehydration? COPD?
Hemoglobin is usually _______ compared to Hematocrit
1:3
Hb RR is 13.5-17.5 g/dL
Hct RR is 38.8-50%
The molecule that binds and transports O2
Hemoglobin
The volume of packed RBCs
Hematocrit
Life span of RBC
120 days
DDx for elevated H/H
Dehydration
COPD
Polycythemia vera
High altitude
DDx for decreased H/H
Anemia • AOCD • Iron deficiency • Acute blood loss • Folate deficiency • Vit B12 deficiency • Hemolytic anemia • Aplastic anemia
If the patient is anemia, what’s the next value you look at?
Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV)
Calculated value to determine average size of RBCs
MCV = Hct/RBC count
Reference ranges for MCV
Microcytic = <80 fL Normocytic = 80-100 fL Macrocytic = >100 fL
MCH and MCHC usually ________ MCV
“Follow” - if MCV is high, so will these be (usually)
What are MCH and MCHC?
Mean Cell Hemoglobin and Mean Cell Hgb Concentration
Reflect the amount of hemoglobin in RBC
MCH = Hb/RBC MCHC = Hb/Hct
Reference ranges for MCH
Hypochromic = <26 Normochromic = 26-34 Hyperchromic = >34
Reference range for MCHC
Normal = 31-36
What is RDW?
Red Cell Distribution
An indicator of the degree of variation in the size of RBCs
Varied sizes in RBCs on a peripheral smear
Anisocytosis
WBC count > 10K is called…
Leukocytosis
DDx: Bacterial infection Inflammation Neoplasm Leukemoid response Steroid use
WBC count < 5K is called…
Leukopenia
DDx: Viral infection Overwhelming bacterial infection Bone marrow failure Drug toxicity Autoimmune disease
What does leukocytosis with a left shift mean?
Increased WBC count due to an increase in neutrophils and bands (baby neutrophils)
Bands enter circulation when neutrophil production is highly stimulated
Why would you see a left shift?
Acute bacterial infection
The most common type of granulocyte
Neutrophil
What are granulocytes?
Have granules in their cytoplasm and multilobed nuclei
Neutrophils (most common)
Eosinophils
Basophils
Another name for granulocytes
PMNs or polymorphonuclear leukocytes
Neutrophilia DDx
Bacterial infections Inflammation Medications (steroids) Stress Trauma, tissue damage
DDx for Neutropenia
Medications (esp Chemotherapy) Viral infection Aplastic anemia Overwhelming bacterial infection Radiation