CLASSIFICATION OF SOME ANEMIAS

Test

B12 Deficiency

Folate Deficiency

Iron Deficiency

Anemia of Chronic Disease

RBC count

D

D

D

D

Hemoglobin

D

D

D

Slight D

Hematocrit

D

D

D

D

MCV

I

I

D

N

MCH

I

I

D

N

MCHC

N

N

D

N

Reticulocyte count

N or D

N or D

N or D

N or D

RDW

N or I

N or I

I

N

Serum ferritin

I

I

D

N or I

TIBC

N

N

N or I

N or D

Transferrin

N

N

N or I

N or D

Transferrin   saturation (%)

N

N

D

N or D

Serum iron

N

N

D

D

Serum folate

N or I

D

N

N

Red cell folate

D

D

N

N

Vitamin B12

D

N

N

N

Red blood cells

Normochromic, macrocytic

Normochromic, macrocytic

Hypochromic, microcytic

Hypochromic, microcytic (both mild)

Other

Hypersegmented neutrophils, macro-ovalocytes

Hypersegmented neutrophils, macro-ovalocytes

Anisocytosis

Poikilocytosis (slight), anisocytosis (moderate)

I = increased; N = normal; D = decreased; TIBC = total iron-binding capacity