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Interpretation of Full Blood Count Flashcards

(51 cards)

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1
Q

what is haemoglobin (Hb)?

A

protein in red blood cells which carried oxygen

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2
Q

what is haemoglobin a measure of?

A

CONCENTRATION of haemoglobin within the blood

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3
Q

what does low haemoglobin indicate?

A

anaemia

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4
Q

what is mean corpuscular volume (MCV)?

A

mean VOLUME of the RBCs

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5
Q

what is MCV used for?

A

classify different anaemias

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6
Q

what does a raised MCV mean?

A

macrocytic = large cells

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7
Q

what does a normal MCV mean?

A

normocytic = normal cells

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8
Q

what does a reduced MCV mean?

A

microcytic = small cells

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9
Q

what are reticulocytes?

A

immature RBCs

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10
Q

what is the reticulocyte count?

A

porportion of RBCs that are immature

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11
Q

when is reticulocyte count raised?

A
  • blood loss
  • haemolytic anaemia

bone marrow works harder to replace lost cells

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12
Q

what is red cell count (RCC)?

A

CONCENTRATION of RBCs within the blood

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13
Q

what causes a raised RRC?

raised concentration of RBCs

A
  • reduced plasma volume (e.g. dehydration)
  • increased RBC production (e.g. polycythaemia rubra vera)
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14
Q

what causes a reduced RRC?

reduced concentration of RBCs

A
  • increased plasma volume (e.g. pregnancy)
  • reduced RBC production/RBC loss (e.g. bone marrow failure, bleeding anaemias)
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15
Q

what does haematocrit (HCT)/packed cell volume (PCV) indicate?

A

PERCENTAGE of the total volume of blood account for by RBCs

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16
Q

what does mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH)/haemoglobin concentration (MCHC) indicate?

A

mean QUANTITY/CONCENTRATION of haemoglobin within the RBCs

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17
Q

what does the quantity/concentration of haemoglobin within RBCs affect?

A

colour of RBCs

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18
Q

what types of anaemias are normochromic?

A
  • normocytic
  • macrocytic
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19
Q

what types of anaemias are hypochromic?

A

microcytic

except anaemia of chronic disease

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20
Q

what is anaemia?

A

reduced CONCENTATION of haemoglobin within the blood

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21
Q

name the microcytic anaemias

Study These Flashcards
A

TAILS
Thalassaemia
Anaemia of chronic disease
Iron deficiency
Lead poisoning
Sideroblastic anaemia

22
Q

name the normocytic anaemias

Study These Flashcards
A
  • acute blood loss
  • haemolytic anaemia
  • renal failure
23
Q

what blood finding is seen in renal failure?

Study These Flashcards
A
  • normocytic
  • reduced erythropoietin
24
Q

name the macrocytic megaloblastic anaemias

Study These Flashcards
A
  • B12 deficiency
  • folate deficiency
  • drug-induced
25
name the macrocytic non-megaloblastic anaemias
* alcohol * reticulocytosis * liver disease
26
name some conditions which CAN lead to a raised MCV
* pregnancy * hypothyroidism * bone marrow failure (aplastic anaemia, myelodysplasia, leukaemia, myelofibrosis)
27
what is ferritin a measure of?
intracellular iron store
28
what does iron levels indicate?
serum iron level
29
what is transferrin?
main iron transport protein in the serum (upregulated when iron stores are low)
30
what is total iron binding capacity a measure of?
indirect measurement of transferrin
31
what is transferrin saturation a measure of?
proportion of transferrin with iron bound to it
32
what is soluble transferrin receptor?
receptors produced by cells in order to take up transferrin-iron complexes
33
what is polycythaemia?
increased VOLUME PERCENTAGE of RBCs within the blood
34
what does relative polycythaemia mean?
reduced plasma volume
35
name some causes of relative polycythaemia
* acute dehydration * chronic (associated with obesity, hypertension, alcohol excess and smoking)
36
what does absolute polycythaemia mean?
increased red blood cells
37
what is primary absolute polycythaemia?
polycythaemia rubra vera
38
what is secondary absolute polycythaemia?
due to: * increased erythopoietin because of chronic hypoxia (e.g. COPD, altitude, congential cyanotic heart disease) * erythropoietin-secreting tumours (e.g. renal cell carcinoma)
39
name some causes of high lymphocytes
* viral infection * chronic infections * chronic lymphocytic leukaemia * other leukaemia * lymphomas
40
name some causes of low lymphocytes
* viral infection * HIV * post-chemotherapy * bone marrow failure * whole body radiation * myelodysplastic syndrome
41
name some causes of high neutrophils
* bacterial infection * inflammation * necrosis * corticosteroids * malignancy/myeloproliferative disorder * stress * chronic myeloid leukaemia
42
name some causes of low neutrophils
* post-chemotherapy * drugs * viral infection * hypersplenism * bone marrow failure * immune disorders * autoimmune neutropenia * myelodysplastic syndrome
43
what drugs can cause agranulocytosis?
**4Cs** **C**arbamazepine **C**lozapine **C**olchicine **C**arbimazole
44
name some causes of high monocyte count
* infections * autoimmune disease * leukaemias/hodgkin's disease * chronic inflammation * chronic myeloid leukaemia * myeloproliferative disorders * malignancy
45
what infections can lead to a raised monocyte count?
* TB * malaria * typhoid * infective endocarditis
46
name some causes of low monocyte count
* acute infections * corticosteroids * some leukaemias * post-chemotherapy
47
name some causes of raised eosinophils
* allergic disorders * parasitic infections * drug reactions * connective tissue disease * malignancy
48
name some causes of raised basophil count
* some leukaemias/lymphomas * IgE mediated hypersentivity * inflammatory disorders * myeloproliferative disorders * viral infection * chronic myeloid leukaemia
49
what is thrombocytopenia?
low platelet count
50
what is thrombocytosis?
high platelet count
51
what is pancytopenia?
low levels of RBC, WBC and platelets

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