The Automated Complete Blood Cell Count: Use of the Red Blood Cell Volume Distribution Width and Mean Platelet Volume in Evaluating Anemia and Thrombocytopenia

Anand Karnad, Thomas R. Poskitt

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

94 Scopus citations

Abstract

The availability of automated blood cell analyzers that provide an index of red blood cell volume distribution width (RDW) and a mean platelet volume (MPV) has led to new approaches to patients with anemia and thrombocytopenia. The RDW, which measures heterogeneity of the red blood cell population, complements the mean corpuscular volume in the differential diagnosis of anemia based on peripheral blood analysis. The MPV varies inversely but nonlinearly with the platelet count in normal individuals and is of value in assessing platelet production in the thrombocytopenic patient. The clinical applications of the RDW and MPV, which are currently reported on most routine blood cell counts, are discussed.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1270-1272
Number of pages3
JournalArchives of Internal Medicine
Volume145
Issue number7
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 1985
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Internal Medicine

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