Red blood cell number
What value represents the percentage of red blood cells in whole blood?
Hematocrit
What value represents the average volume of the patient's red blood cells?
Mean corpuscular volume (MCV)
What gives red blood cells their red shade?
Hemoglobin
What is hemostasis and how does it differ from thrombosis?
- hemostasis involves stopping bleeding at the endothelium
- thrombosis involves forming blood cots within blood vessels
What lab value indicates the blood's ability to bind iron?
Transferrin iron binding capacity (TIBC)
What must you account for when calculating the reticulocyte index from the reticulocyte percentage?
-The patient's hematocrit (or anemia)
What value represents the range of red blood cell size?
Red cell distribution width (RDW)
Healthy red blood cells have a _______ shape.
Biconcave
What blood protein mediates platelet adhesion?
Von Willebrand Factor
What is the most common form of anemia in the United States?
Iron deficiency anemia
-The reticulocyte index is low, because the patient is most likely deficient in iron
In terms of red blood cells size, what type of anemia does our patient have?
Microcytic anemia
What term refers to the presence of red cells of many different shapes?
Poikilocytosis
Elevated platelets lead to an increased risk of ________.
Arterial and venous thrombosis
OR
Unstable angina and myocardial infarction
What lab value reflects iron storage?
Ferritin
Anemia can result from deficiencies in what two vitamins?
Folate
B12
What term indicates there are large variations in red blood cell size?
Anisocytosis
Spiculated cells, Heinz bodies and bite cells can result from a deficiency in what enzyme?
Hint: we learned about this in ERM
Glucose 6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase
Sequestration of platelets in what organ can cause platelet deficiencies in the plasma?
The spleen
How does thalassemia affect ferritin levels?
Ferritin is elevated
What two conditions can inflate hematocrit levels and mask anemia?
Acute bleeding
Dehydration
What effect will b12 deficiency have on mean corpuscular volume (MCV)?
It will be abnormally elevated
What is the most common red blood cell membrane abnormality?
Hereditary spherocytosis
How does factor VIII interact with VWF?
Factor VIII protects VWF from inactivation
In the context of chronic inflammation, what molecule results in reduced plasma iron?
Hepcidin