Abstract
Reticulocytes are the youngest erythrocytes released from the bone marrow into circulating blood and become mature erythrocytes in one or two days. They represent a reliable index of recent bone marrow erythrocyte production. Reticulocyte parameters ar Reticulocytes are the youngest erythrocytes released from the bone marrow into circulating blood and become mature erythrocytes in one or two days. They represent a reliable index of recent bone marrow erythrocyte production. Reticulocyte parameters are simple to obtain and require a very small extra amount of blood. This article will review and discuss the usefulness of reticulocyte parameters in diagnosis and management of pediatric hematologic diseases.
Highlights
Reticulocyte parameters are simple to obtain, require a very small extra amount of blood and provide additional information about erythrocyte production
As the reticulocyte count distinguishes disorders resulting from rapid destruction or loss of erythrocytes from disorders resulting from bone marrow failure, we strongly suggest its use in the initial diagnostic workout of pediatric anemia
For the first time in literature, we demonstrated Reticulocyte Hemoglobin Content (CHr) to be the earliest marker of response to oral iron treatment (48 h) in children with severe iron deficiency anemia [5]
Summary
Reticulocyte parameters are simple to obtain, require a very small extra amount of blood and provide additional information about erythrocyte production Their use in pediatric routine care is still limited. Under normal conditions, nucleated erythroid precursor cells clonally mature in 1–3 days within the bone marrow When their nucleus is extruded from the cell, the young erythrocytes (i.e., reticulocytes) are released into peripheral blood where they circulate for 1–2 days, before becoming mature erythrocytes. As reticulocytes circulate for only 1–2 days, CHr provides a reliable measure of the functional iron available for new red blood cell production over the previous 3–4 days and proved to be sensitive indicator of early iron deficient erythropoiesis. Even though there are no standardized cut offs in the newborn, CHr is a good marker of iron status in the first days and months of life, even in preterm and critically ill babies
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