A 5-4-month-old infant is seen in the clinic with CBC results. The mother is concerned about the findings (lab results provided). Based on the following results, what is the most l... A 5-4-month-old infant is seen in the clinic with CBC results. The mother is concerned about the findings (lab results provided). Based on the following results, what is the most likely diagnosis? Test Result Normal Values Hb 9 165-195 g/L (Newborn) MCH 25 28-33 pg/cell MCV 77 80-95 fl Reticulocyte 1.1 0.2-1.2% Platelets count 330 150-400 x 109/L WBC 10 9.1-30.1 x 109/ (Birth) 6.1-17.5 x 109/ (1-23 months) A. Physiologic anemia B. Thalassemia trait C. Sickle cell anemia D. Lead poisoning
Understand the Problem
The question presents a scenario of a 5-4-month-old infant with concerning CBC results. The mother is worried about these findings. The task is to determine the most likely diagnosis based on the provided lab results (Hb, MCH, MCV, Reticulocyte count, Platelets count, WBC) and multiple-choice options. You need to analyze the CBC results, compare them to the normal values provided, and select the diagnosis that best fits the observed abnormalities. The key lab abnormalities are low Hb, MCH, and MCV.
Answer
A. Physiologic anemia
The most likely diagnosis is A. Physiologic anemia. The provided lab results show a low hemoglobin level (9 g/L) with normal reticulocyte count (1.1%), which is indicative of physiologic anemia, a common condition in infants around 3-6 months old as they transition from fetal hemoglobin to adult hemoglobin.
Answer for screen readers
The most likely diagnosis is A. Physiologic anemia. The provided lab results show a low hemoglobin level (9 g/L) with normal reticulocyte count (1.1%), which is indicative of physiologic anemia, a common condition in infants around 3-6 months old as they transition from fetal hemoglobin to adult hemoglobin.
More Information
Physiological anemia is a normal drop in hemoglobin that generally occurs in infants around 6-12 weeks of age. This is because, after birth, the infant's red blood cell production slows down, resulting in lower hemoglobin levels.
Tips
A common mistake is to confuse physiological anemia with other types of anemia, such as iron deficiency anemia or thalassemia trait. In this case, normal reticulocyte counts indicates that this is not likely iron deficiency
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