Get your health question answered instantly from our pool of 18000+ doctors from over 80 specialties
159 Doctors Online

By proceeding, I accept the Terms and Conditions

Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

HCM Blog Instant Access to Doctors
HCM BlogQuestions Answered
HCM Blog Satisfaction

What Causes Variation In The HB And Hematocrit Values?

had a cbc done on 9/28/2010 showing rbc 5.37, hb 14, hematocrit 40.5, mcv 75.4, mch 26.1, rdw-cv 14.5 and these numbers have been pretty consistent based upon 3/2/2010 & 5/10/2010 cbc's. Then on 12/21/2010 same test with corresponding values rbc 4.61, hb 11.3, hematocrit 33.5%, mcv 72.7, mch 24.5 and rdw-cv 15.3. Just wondering if could give some insight on what would cause this type of variance?
posted on Thu, 13 Mar 2014
Twitter Fri, 21 Nov 2014 Answered on
Twitter Fri, 21 Nov 2014 Last reviewed on
Report Abuse
Internal Medicine Specialist,  's  Response
Hello,

there are a lot of critical details missing from your description but I'll try to give you some direction.
A decreased hematocrit with lower than usual mcv and higher rdw usually suggests iron deficiency although this is not 100% certain. Ferritin levels can help estimate the iron stores of your body.
Clinical details can be very helpful as well. Any blood loss can cause a drop in hematocrit. This includes menstrual losses, gastrointestinal bleeding, hematuria etc. Decreased iron absorption is another possible cause. It usually has to do with very low meat and fish consumption.
If you've had an infection, a drop in hematocrit may happen due to increased red blood cells destruction (mostly).
I hope I've helped!
If you'd like a more specific and detailed report, please ask again but mention all the details of your medical history this time!

Kind Regards!
I find this answer helpful
Note: Do you have more questions on diagnosis or treatment of blood disorders? Ask An Expert/ Specialist Now
Disclaimer: These answers are for your information only and not intended to replace your relationship with your treating physician.
This is a short, free answer. For a more detailed, immediate answer, try our premium service [Sample answer]
Share on
 

Related questions you may be interested in


Recent questions on Hematocrit


Loading Online Doctors....
What Causes Variation In The HB And Hematocrit Values?

Hello, there are a lot of critical details missing from your description but I ll try to give you some direction. A decreased hematocrit with lower than usual mcv and higher rdw usually suggests iron deficiency although this is not 100% certain. Ferritin levels can help estimate the iron stores of your body. Clinical details can be very helpful as well. Any blood loss can cause a drop in hematocrit. This includes menstrual losses, gastrointestinal bleeding, hematuria etc. Decreased iron absorption is another possible cause. It usually has to do with very low meat and fish consumption. If you ve had an infection, a drop in hematocrit may happen due to increased red blood cells destruction (mostly). I hope I ve helped! If you d like a more specific and detailed report, please ask again but mention all the details of your medical history this time! Kind Regards!