Morphological types of anaemia integrated with distribution of red cell and platelet indices: Study in a rural tertiary healthcare centre

Anaemia is a critical global health problemA good morphological subtyping of anaemia can guide clinician in further patient management. With the advent of automation, red cell and platelet indices are available from the routinely used blood cell counters in the laboratory, these supplemented with peripheral smear examination help in a good categorization of anaemia. Aim of this study is to study the morphological types of anaemias in the adults with the Objectives of Categorization of the anaemias based on morphology and to study the distribution of the red cell and platelet indices in the same.: It was a prospective study conducted in the hematology wing of our central diagnostics over a period of three months and a total of 520 cases, which were morphologically classified according to the analyzer indices and peripheral smear. Distribution of the red cell and platelet indices in the different categories of anaemia were also noted. A majority of the anaemias were microcytic hypochromic in type (67.1%) followed by normocytic normochromic anaemias (26.5%). Increased RDW was seen in microcytic hypochromic anaemias (55%) and normocytic normochromic anaemias (6.9%). The Mean platelet count/ mean platelet volume was increased in microcytic anaemias compared to others. : Anaemias in the rural set up are predominantly of the microcytic in type. A good knowledge of the variation in RBC indices, RDW and platelet /mean platelet volume ratio along with a peripheral smear can help the reporting haematologist identify early stages of iron deficiency anaemia and can give a precise and accurate anaemia categorization at the basic entry level of laboratory investigation. Interpretation of variation in RBC and platelet indices though often neglected can contribute significantly to categorize the anaemia.