TYPES OF ANAEMIA

Anemia classified as follows based mechanisms described here

Iron deficiency
Microcytic hypochromic RBCs
● MCHC: ↓ Below 320 g/l
● MCV: ↓ Below 78 fl
● Reticulocytes: Normal or Low
– cells with ‘pencil’ appearance

Macrocytic anaemia
Folate deficiency(megaloblastic)
-MCV: ↑ More than 100 fl
– Macrocytes mostly oval, occasional megaloblast, pancytopenia
– Reticulocytes: Normal or ↓
-(late stages), hypersegmented neutrophils. -WBC and platelets: ↓
-MCHC: Normal
Liver disease: Non-megaloblastic Macrocytes (mainly round with target cells)

Sickle cell disease – Sickle cells, polychromasia,
● HbS: Positive
poikilocytosis, nucleated red cells,
● Reticulocytes: ↑ (blue stippling in
HbS thalassaemia target cells. Macrocytes due to folate background of thick film)
deficiency (when patient not receiving
folate)
Further test: Hb electrophoresis.