BLOOD INDICES
Introduction
Purpose of determining blood indices is to
correlate the fundamental result obtained in CBC.
• Also useful to classify anemia
MEAN CORPUSCULAR HEMOGLOBIN
• It is defined as the amount of hemoglobin in
average red cell
Or
Average amount of Hb in all the red cell
• It is directly proportional to the amount of
hemoglobin and the size of the erythrocyte
Normal range = 27-32pg
Interpretation of MCH values
• Low MCH values: are found in microcytic hypochromic anaemias and also when red cells are microcytic and normochromic. In thalassaemia minor the MCH is low even
when anaemia is mild (MCHC is often normal)
Raised MCH values: found in macrocytic
normochromic anaemia
Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV)
• It is defined as the average volume of red cell
• It Provides information on red cell size
• It is measured in femtolitres.
• Normal range= 87$5fl
• 1fL= 10-15L
Interpretation of MCV values
• Low MCV values: are found in microcytic anaemias particularly iron deficiency, anaemia
of chronic disease and thalassaemia
• Raised MCV values: are found in macrocytic anaemias, marked reticulocytosis, and chronic alcoholism.
MEAN CORPUSCULAR HAEMOGLOBIN
CONCENTRATION (MCHC)
• The MCHC expresses the average concentration of hemoglobin per unit volume of erythrocytes.
• It is expressed in percentage.
•Normal value = 32-36%
Interpretation of MCHC values
• Low MCHC values are found in iron deficiency anemia and other conditions in which the red cells are microcytic and hypo-chromic.
• An increased MCHC can occur in marked spherocytosis.
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