Skip to main content
PMC home page
Journal of Clinical Pathology logoLink to Journal of Clinical Pathology
. 1978 May;31(5):493–498. doi: 10.1136/jcp.31.5.493

High mean red cell volume: its incidence and significance in routine haematology.

R J Davidson, P J Hamilton
PMCID: PMC1145310  PMID: 649776

Abstract

With the advent of electronic particle counters of the Coulter S type the mean cell volume (MCV) has become an integral and useful feature of the red cell profile. Abnormally high values, often of minor degree, are particularly common but their precise clinical significance may be difficult to establish. This study defines the normal range and determines the incidence and distribution of the high MCV in routine hospital practice. Two hundred consecutive adult patients with an MCV of 100 fl or more were identified from the Coulter S analysis of 6542 blood samples and the underlying cause was established in 80%. Some of the clinical and economic implications of these findings are presented and briefly discussed.

Full text

PDF
495

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Biggs R., Macmillan R. L. The Error of the Red Cell Count. J Clin Pathol. 1948 Nov;1(5):288–291. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Brownlee N. R., Long L. C., Balcerzak S. P., Bromberg P. A., Mills R. L., Cornwell D. G. Relationship between erythrocyte lipid content and cell volume: regression equations for comparing normal and sickle cell populations. Physiol Chem Phys. 1974;6(6):479–487. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Chanarin I., England J. M., Hoffbrand A. V. Significance of large red blood cells. Br J Haematol. 1973 Sep;25(3):351–358. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2141.1973.tb01746.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Chanarin I., McFadyen I. R., Kyle R. The physiological macrocytosis of pregnancy. Br J Obstet Gynaecol. 1977 Jul;84(7):504–508. doi: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.1977.tb12634.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Davidson R. J. A laboratory study of macrocytic anaemia in the North-east region of Scotland, 1965-70. J Clin Pathol. 1971 Nov;24(8):764–764. doi: 10.1136/jcp.24.8.764-a. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. England J. M., Down M. C. Measurement of the mean cell volume using electronic particle counters. Br J Haematol. 1976 Mar;32(3):403–409. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2141.1976.tb00944.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. England J. M., Walford D. M., Waters D. A. Re-assessment of the reliability of the haematocrit. Br J Haematol. 1972 Aug;23(2):247–256. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2141.1972.tb03477.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. HATTERSLEY P. G. MACROCYTOSIS OF THE ERYTHROCYTES. A PRELIMINARY REPORT. JAMA. 1964 Sep 28;189:997–999. doi: 10.1001/jama.1964.03070130017004. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Hattersley P. G., Gerard P. W., Caggiano V., Nash D. R. Erroneous values on the Model S Coulter Counter due to high titer cold autoagglutinins. Am J Clin Pathol. 1971 Apr;55(4):442–446. doi: 10.1093/ajcp/55.4.442. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Helman N., Rubenstein L. S. The effects of age, sex, and smoking on erythrocytes and leukocytes. Am J Clin Pathol. 1975 Jan;63(1):35–44. doi: 10.1093/ajcp/63.3.35. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Horton L., Coburn R. J., England J. M., Himsworth R. L. The haematology of hypothyroidism. Q J Med. 1976 Jan;45(177):101–123. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. JENSSON O. Observations on the leucocyte blood picture in acute uraemia. Br J Haematol. 1958 Oct;4(4):422–427. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2141.1958.tb06043.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. MATTERN C. F., BRACKETT F. S., OLSON B. J. Determination of number and size of particles by electrical gating: blood cells. J Appl Physiol. 1957 Jan;10(1):56–70. doi: 10.1152/jappl.1957.10.1.56. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. McPhedran P., Barnes M. G., Weinstein J. S., Robertson J. S. Interpretation of electronically determined macrocytosis. Ann Intern Med. 1973 May;78(5):677–683. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-78-5-677. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. SPRAY G. H. An improved method for the rapid estimation of vitamin B12 in serum. Clin Sci. 1955 Nov;14(4):661–667. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Scott G. L., Myles A. B., Bacon P. A. Autoimmune haemolytic anaemia and mefenamic acid therapy. Br Med J. 1968 Aug 31;3(5617):534–535. doi: 10.1136/bmj.3.5617.534. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. THORELL B. NOTES ON ERYTHROCYTOMETRY WITH THE MICROSCOPE. Bibl Haematol. 1964;18:50–58. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. WATERS A. H., MOLLIN D. L. Studies on the folic acid activity of human serum. J Clin Pathol. 1961 Jul;14:335–344. doi: 10.1136/jcp.14.4.335. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Wu A., Chanarin I., Slavin G., Levi A. J. Folate deficiency in the alcoholic--its relationship to clinical and haematological abnormalities, liver disease and folate stores. Br J Haematol. 1975 Mar;29(3):469–478. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2141.1975.tb01844.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Young M., Lawrence A. C. The influence of extraneous factors on Coulter S measurement of the mean corpuscular volume. J Clin Pathol. 1975 Jan;28(1):12–15. doi: 10.1136/jcp.28.1.12. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Journal of Clinical Pathology are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES