Lab Evaluation of RBCs Flashcards
Manual RBC Intro to Hemacytometers Retic Counts Manual Hb, Microhematocrits, ESRs, RBC Indices
RBC count (manual or automated) - Basic procedure
Whole blood diluted w/ isotonic diluting fluid and RBCs counted
RBC count (manual or automated) - Normal (adult) reference values
4-6 million /mm^3
- NOTE DIFFERENCES B/W MEN AND WOMEN
Retic count
- Basic procedure
Whole is diluted w/ supravital stain, smears made, retics count–expressed as %
Retic count
- Normal (adult) reference values
0.5-1.5%
Hemoglobin
- Basic procedure
Whole blood is diltued w/ reagent containing a lysing agent
Hemoglobin
- Normal (adult) reference values
Male: 14-18 g/dL
Women: 12-16 g/dL
Microhematocrit
- Basic procedure
Whole blood spun down 5 minutes in 2 microhematocrit tubes, sealed at one end w/ clay; determined using reader
Microhematocrit
- Normal (adult) reference values (% of packed cell volume)
Men: 42-54%
Women: 36-48%
Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)
- Basic procedure
Allow specific amount of blood to sit in vertical position for 1 hour; measure how far, in mm, that RBCs fall
Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)
- Normal (adult) values
Men: 0-15 mm
Women: 0-20 mm
Volume factor for all 9 squares on a hematocytometer
1/(1 x 1 x 0.1 x 9) = 1.1
Volume factor for 4 W corners on a hematocytometer
1/(1 x 1 x 0.1 x 4) = 2.5
Volume factor for center square on a hematocytometer
1/(1 x 1 x 0.1 x 1) = 10
Volume factor for manual RBC area on a hematocytometer
1/(0.2 x 0.2 x 0.1 x 5) = 50
Retic counts
- Type of stain used
Supravital
Retic counts
- Two retic stains commonly used
- New methylene blue
- Brilliant cresyl blue
Retic counts
- Composition of reticulum
RNA
Calculate uncorrected retics
(# retics/1000) = (x/100)
- Expressed as a %
Calculate corrected retics
observed retics x (patient’s Hct/”normal” Hct)
Calculate RPI
(corrected retic count)/2
Calculate absolute retic count
(uncorrected retic count x RBC count)/100
Form of Hb that can’t be measured by cyanmethemoglobin method
Sulfhemoglobin
4 causes for falsely elevated Hb determination
- High WBC count (>20,000/mm^3)
- High PLT count (>700,000/mm^3)
- Lipemia
- RBCs resistant to hemolysis (Hb-S, Hb-C)
Rule of 3
- RBC x 3 = ~ Hb
- Hb x 3 = ~ Hct +/- 3
Predict causes for discrepancies w/ regard to Hb and Hct not being “in balance”
??
Undercentrifugation will ____ Hct
Falsely ↑
↓ blood: anticoagulant ratio will ____ Hct
Falsely ↓ (“short draw”)
EDTA tube allowed to set out all night at room temp will ____ Hct
Falsely ↑
- Glucose is used up (4-6 hours), cell membrane breaks down and fluid leaks into cells making them more spherical)
Buffy coat included in reading will ____ Hct
Falsely ↑
3 stages that occur during 60-minute setting period of ESR
- Rouleaux (~10 minutes)
- Rapid fall (~40 minutes)
- Packing (~10 minutes)
How does an ↑ in plasma proteins affect ESR?
↑ plasma proteins coats RBCs → ↓ zeta potential (surface charge becomes more positive) → RBCs stick together more → ↑ rouleaux → ↑ mass → bigger fall → ↑ ESR
Plasma proteins w/ the greatest affect on ESR
Fibrinogen