Haematology Quiz on Blood Values

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Questions and Answers

What does a high red cell distribution width (RDW) indicate in the context of anaemia?

Presence of mixed sizes of red cells (correct)

Normal mean corpuscular volume (MCV)

Presence of only microcytic red cells

Presence of only macrocytic red cells

How does the mean corpuscular volume (MCV) relate to macrocytic and microcytic anaemia?

MCV is elevated in microcytic conditions

MCV can be misleadingly normal in mixed anaemia (correct)

MCV is not relevant to diagnosing anaemia types

MCV is solely used to identify iron deficiency

What is the role of reticulocyte count when assessing anaemia?

Determines the age of red blood cells

Measures the size of red blood cells

Assesses bone marrow's response to anaemia (correct)

Indicates the total volume of red blood cells

In which condition is a low reticulocyte count associated with anaemia most likely to occur?

Aplastic anaemia Signup and view all the answers

What might a raised reticulocyte count indicate in the presence of bleeding?

Bone marrow is compensating for blood loss Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following conditions can lead to mixed anaemia?

Decreased folate absorption Signup and view all the answers

What does anisocytosis refer to?

Variation in red cell sizes Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following would NOT suggest a problem with red blood cell production in the bone marrow?

High iron levels in the bloodstream Signup and view all the answers

What characterizes microcytic anaemia?

Low haemoglobin with a reduced mean cell volume (MCV) Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following indicates macrocytic anaemia?

Low haemoglobin with increased mean cell volume (MCV) Signup and view all the answers

How is mean corpuscular volume (MCV) defined?

The average size of red blood cells Signup and view all the answers

Which type of anaemia is indicated by a normal MCV?

Normocytic anaemia Signup and view all the answers

In assessing anaemia, why is it important to measure MCV?

To identify possible causes of the anaemia Signup and view all the answers

What is typically true of macrocytic anaemia regarding haemoglobin levels?

Decreased haemoglobin concentration Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary indicator of microcytic anaemia?

Low haemoglobin and low MCV Signup and view all the answers

What result would indicate polycythaemia?

High haemoglobin with elevated haematocrit Signup and view all the answers

What does mean corpuscular volume (MCV) measure?

The average size of red blood cells present in a blood sample Signup and view all the answers

Which condition is primarily associated with an increase in erythropoietin (EPO) production?

Primary polycythaemia Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a cause of secondary polycythaemia?

Excessive fluid intake Signup and view all the answers

What is primarily affected in microcytic anaemia?

Size of red blood cells Signup and view all the answers

Which underlying issue can lead to macrocytic anaemia?

Folic acid deficiency Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following can lead to relative polycythaemia?

Significant burns Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following factors is commonly associated with increased MCV readings?

Vitamin B12 deficiency Signup and view all the answers

What is the most common cause of secondary polycythaemia?

Smoking Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Haemoglobin (Hb)

Normal haemoglobin ranges for males: 130 – 180 g/L
Normal haemoglobin ranges for females: 115 – 165 g/L
Low haemoglobin levels are associated with anaemia.
High haemoglobin levels are associated with polycythaemia.

White Cell Count (WCC)

Normal total WCC: 3.6 – 11.0 x 10⁹/L
Normal Neutrophils: 1.8 – 7.5 x 10⁹/L
Normal Lymphocytes: 1.0 – 4.0 x 10⁹/L
Normal Monocytes: 0.2 – 0.8 x 10⁹/L
Normal Eosinophils: 0.1 – 0.4 x 10⁹/L
Normal Basophils: 0.02 – 0.10 x 10⁹/L

Platelet Count

Normal platelet count: 140 – 400 x 10⁹/L

Red Cell Count (RCC)

Normal RCC for males: 4.5 – 6.5 x 10¹²/L
Normal RCC for females: 3.8 – 5.8 x 10¹²/L

Haematocrit

Normal haematocrit for males: 0.40 – 0.54 L/L
Normal haematocrit for females: 0.37 – 0.47 L/L

Mean Cell Volume (MCV)

Normal MCV: 80 – 100 fL
MCV is a measure of average red blood cell size.
MCV is used to classify anaemia into different sub-types:
- Microcytic anaemia: Low haemoglobin and reduced MCV
- Macrocytic anaemia: Low haemoglobin and increased MCV
- Normocytic anaemia: Low haemoglobin and normal MCV

Mean Corpuscular Haemoglobin (MCH)

Normal MCH: 27 – 32 pg/cell

Reticulocyte Count

Normal reticulocyte count: 0.2 – 2%
Reticulocytes are immature red blood cells.
A high reticulocyte count in anaemia suggests effective bone marrow production, likely due to blood loss or haemolysis.
A low reticulocyte count in anaemia suggests an issue with bone marrow production, possibly due to nutritional deficiencies or bone marrow disorders.

Polycythaemia

High haemoglobin and haematocrit levels are associated with polycythaemia.
Two types of polycythaemia:
- Absolute polycythaemia: Increase in red cell count
- Relative polycythaemia: Decrease in blood plasma volume, concentrating red cells.
Absolute polycythaemia can be caused by:
- Primary polycythaemia: Issues in the bone marrow, leading to excess red cell production.
- Secondary polycythaemia: Conditions that increase EPO production, causing the bone marrow to make more red blood cells.
Common causes of secondary polycythaemia include:
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- Smoking
- Obstructive sleep apnoea
- Cyanotic heart disease
- Lung fibrosis
- Exogenous steroids
- Excess alcohol intake
- Certain malignancies
- EPO abuse
- Endogenous steroids
Relative polycythaemia is caused by low fluid intake or excess fluid loss.

Red Cell Distribution Width (RDW)

RDW measures the variation in red cell size, from the largest to the smallest..
A high RDW can indicate mixed anaemia, where both macrocytic and microcytic red blood cells are present, often due to malabsorption disorders like coeliac disease.
A high RDW can also be associated with iron deficiency anemia as well.

Anaemia

Anaemia refers to a decrease in total haemoglobin levels.
There are many causes of anaemia, which can be classified based on the MCV.

Important Notes

Reference ranges for blood tests can vary between laboratories, always refer to your local laboratory’s ranges when interpreting tests.
It’s important to remember that these are textbook classifications and there can be overlap between causes of different types of anaemia. For example, a patient with a macrocytosis can also have iron deficiency.

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Description

Test your knowledge on normal ranges for haemoglobin, white blood cell counts, platelet counts, red cell counts, and other critical blood parameters. This quiz covers essential concepts in haematology, helping you understand the significance of blood tests in clinical practice.