✓ Is easy to come up with a diagnosis if the anemia is classified together because there are anemias that
have similar manifestation.
Impaired red cell production
→ In the bone marrow or erythropoietin
Increased red cell destruction or loss in excess of the ability of the bone marrow to replace such losses
✓ Primarily affects RBCs.
(only occurs when there is) Higher plasma volume.
✓ the values of the RBC parameters decrease, only because of the higher plasma volume. So, there is a
relative decrease
✓ Anemia may also be categorized through its pathophysiologic means.
✓ It may be due to decreased production of RBCs or due to increased RBC destruction.
✓ Laboratory result
Reticulocyte count (kinetic approach)
Mean cell volume (morphologic approach)
Which is BETTER?
**First diagram next page* ***Second diagram next page*
Favors morphologic approach:
MCV automatically includes as part of the CBC, while retic count (ordered separately) is not.
There is more equal distribution of patients into separate categories.
→ Because if the morphologic approach is used, it is statistically assumed that 1/3 of the patient
has microcytic anemia, 1/3 of the patient has macrocytic anemia and 1/3 of the patient has
normocytic anemia.
have similar manifestation.
Impaired red cell production
→ In the bone marrow or erythropoietin
Increased red cell destruction or loss in excess of the ability of the bone marrow to replace such losses
✓ Primarily affects RBCs.
(only occurs when there is) Higher plasma volume.
✓ the values of the RBC parameters decrease, only because of the higher plasma volume. So, there is a
relative decrease
✓ Anemia may also be categorized through its pathophysiologic means.
✓ It may be due to decreased production of RBCs or due to increased RBC destruction.
✓ Laboratory result
Reticulocyte count (kinetic approach)
Mean cell volume (morphologic approach)
Which is BETTER?
**First diagram next page* ***Second diagram next page*
Favors morphologic approach:
MCV automatically includes as part of the CBC, while retic count (ordered separately) is not.
There is more equal distribution of patients into separate categories.
→ Because if the morphologic approach is used, it is statistically assumed that 1/3 of the patient
has microcytic anemia, 1/3 of the patient has macrocytic anemia and 1/3 of the patient has
normocytic anemia.
