Mean Corpuscular Volume

From Anvita Health Wiki

Contents 1 More Specific Terms 2 Reference-interval 3 Increases 4 Decreases 5 Methods 6 Notes 7 More General Terms 8 Additional Terms 9 References

More Specific Terms

• complete blood count (CBC)

Reference-interval

• 80-96 um3

Increases

• macrocytic anemia

• vitamin B12 deficiency
• folate deficiency

• alcoholism
• non- megaloblastic macrocytosis

• large numbers of reticulocytes

• acute blood loss anemia
• hemolytic anemia

• aplastic anemia
• hypothyroidism
• liver disease
• disseminated liver disease

• cold agglutinins
• smoking
• leukocytosis (> 25,000/ uL) with Coulter counter model S
• pharmaceutical agents

• zidovudine ( AZT)
• acyclovir
• aminosalicylic acid
• anticonvulsants
• azathioprine
• azauridine
• colchicine
• cycloserine
• cytarabine
• fluorouracil
• glutethemide
• hydroxyurea
• isoniazid
• mefenamic acid
• mercaptopurine
• metformin
• methotrexate
• neomycin
• nitrofurans
• oral contraceptives
• pentamidine
• phenacetin
• pyrimethamine
• thioguanine
• triamterene
• trimethoprim

Decreases

• iron-deficiency anemia
• thalassemia
• anemia of chronic disease/ inflammation
• some hemoglobinopathies
• hyperthyroidism (occasionally)

Methods

• many automated cell counters directly measure the MCV
• may be calculated from the hematocrit & erythrocyte count

*               Hct (volume fraction) 
*  MCV (fL) =   -------------------- 
*                     Ercs/L

Notes

• MCV may NOT be reliable when large numbers of abnormal erythrocytes (i.e. sickle cells) or a dimorphic population of erythrocytes is present

More General Terms

• clinical hematology test

Additional Terms

• erythrocyte
• macrocytosis
• microcytosis

References

Medical Knowledge Self Assessment Program (MKSAP) 11, American College of Physicians, Philadelphia 1998

mean corpuscular volume (MCV)