Low Red Blood Cell Count Research Articles

Aluminum toxicity. Hematological effects

Sequential effects of intoxication with aluminum hydroxide (Al) (80 mg/Kg body weight, i.p., three times a week), were studied on rats from weaning and up to 28 weeks. The study was carried out on hematological and iron metabolism-related parameters on peripheral blood, at the end of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th months of exposure. As it was described that hematotoxic effects of Al are mainly seen together with high levels of uremia, renal function was measured at the same periods. The animals treated developed a microcytosis and was accompanied by a decrease in mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH). Significantly lower red blood cell counts (RBC million/μl) were found in rats treated during the 1st month. These values matched those obtained for control rats during the 2nd month. From the 3rd month onwards, a significant increase was observed as compared to control groups, and the following values were obtained by the 6th month: (T) 10.0±0.3 versus (C) 8.7±0.2 (million/μl). Both MCH and mean corpuscular volume (MCV) were found to be significantly lower in groups treated from the 2nd month. At the end of the 6th month the following values were found: MCH (T) 13.3±0.1 versus (C) 16.9±0.3 (pg); MCV (T) 42.1±0.7 versus (C) 51.8±0.9 (fl). Al was found responsible for lower serum iron concentration levels and in the percentage of transferrin saturation. Thus, although microcytic anemia constitutes an evidence of chronic aluminum exposure, prolonged exposure could lead to a recovery of hematocrit and hemoglobin concentration values with an increase in red cell number. Nevertheless, both microcytosis and the decrease of MCH would persist. These modifications took place without changes being observed in the renal function during the observation period.

Epidemiological, clinical, haematological and biochemical characteristics of canine hypothyroidism

Hypothyroidism was diagnosed in 50 dogs and excluded in 86 dogs suspected of hypothyroidism, on the basis of the results of bovine thyrotropin response tests. Breed, pedigree, sex or neutering...

Hematological and serum chemistry profiles of free-ranging southern two-toed sloths in French Guiana.

Free-ranging southern two-toed sloths (Choloepus didactylus) were translocated during the flooding of a forest at a hydroelectric dam site in French Guiana. Over an 11 mo period blood samples were collected from 90 sloths (38 males, 52 females) in order to determine hematological and serum chemistry reference values. Mean values and range of values were calculated for 13 hematological and 21 serum chemistry parameters. Variations associated with sex, age and reproductive status were identified. Males had a significantly lower red blood cell count than females. Immature animals had more monocytes while adults had more neutrophils and higher mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration. Aspartate aminotransferase and triglyceride values were higher in young than in adult sloths but uric acid was lower. Lactating females showed lower red blood cells count and iron levels than non-lactating females. These profiles will help to provide reliable baseline data for medical evaluation of sloths.

Risk factors for iron deficiency anaemia in preschool children in northern Ethiopia.

To determine risk factors for anaemia in preschool children. A cross-sectional study. Tigray province, northern Ethiopia. 2080 of 2373 children aged 6-60 months provided blood to assess anaemia. Anaemia was highly prevalent (42%) and constituted an important nutritional problem in the region. In a sub-sample of 230 anaemic children, 56% had a low red blood cell (RBC) count, and 43% had a serum ferritin of less than 12 microgl(-1) indicating that the anaemia was largely due to iron deficiency. Unlike other regions in developing countries, hookworm (0.4%) and malaria (0.0%) were rare and contributed little to the anaemia. Even though their diet lacked variety, the amount of iron consumed through cereal-based staple foods was adequate. However, the iron in these foods was not readily available and their diets were probably high in iron absorption inhibitors and low in enhancers. Dietary factors associated with anaemia included frequent consumption of inhibitors, such as fenugreek and coffee, and poor health in the child such as diarrhoea and stunting. Underlying causes of anaemia were lack of safe water and inadequate human waste management, maternal illiteracy and mother being ill, and having no food reserves. The root cause of these factors was poverty. The optimal control strategy for iron deficiency anaemia should have a holistic approach which includes the alleviation of poverty, the empowerment of women and the provision of a safe environment.

A prospective evaluation of the value of preoperative laboratory testing for office anesthesia and sedation

Purpose: The purpose of this investigation was to determine whether routine laboratory testing affected the clinician's preoperative evaluation and decision-making process for patients undergoing general anesthesia or intravenous sedation in the oral and maxillofacial surgery office. Patients and Methods: This was a prospective evaluation of the records of 458 who required an office general anesthetic or intravenous sedation for routine dentoalveolar surgery. The patients ranged in age from 15 to 54 years and were categorized as American Society of Anesthesiologists Classification I or II. Fifty-two percent were female. All patients underwent a history and physical examination, complete blood cell count, and urine analysis. Female patients were tested for pregnancy by measuring the serum beta human chorionic gonadotropin level. All patients older than 40 years of age were further evaluated by posterior-anterior and lateral chest radiographs, as well as electrocardiography. On the day of surgery, the data were reviewed and analyzed, and specific components of the history were reassessed. The results of the decision-making process were evaluated by one investigator. Results: From the 458 patients initially enrolled, 78 failed to return on the appointed day. Of the 235 patients requiring general anesthesia who did return on the appointed day, five had aberrant laboratory values (2%). These consisted of one patient with a low hematocrit, one with a low red blood cell count, one with a low white blood cell count, and two with a urine analysis positive for blood. No procedure was canceled based on the aberrant data. Of the 145 patients requiring intravenous sedation who did return on the appointed day, six had aberrant laboratory values (4%). Two patients exhibited elevated white blood cell counts, two possessed low red blood cell counts, one known to have diabetes had an elevated urine glucose, and one patient with an elevated human chorionic gonadotropin level realized that her menstrual cycle was delayed. The latter two patients had their procedures deferred. Conclusions: Based on the results of this study, a good history and physical examination and then reassessment of key portions of the history were the major factors in the development of the anesthetic treatment plan. Laboratory data had little if any effect on the decision-making process.

Relationships between low red blood cell count and clinical response to fluoxetine in depressed elderly patients

Biological variables specifically linked with serotonin deficiency were assessed in geriatric depression. Sixteen depressed patients, all ≥60 years of age and with scores on the Montgomery–Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) ≥20, were treated with fluoxetine (20 mg/day) for 42 days. Biological variables measured on days 1 and 42 included whole blood and plasma serotonin, plasma total and free tryptophan, and platelet paroxetine and ketanserin binding. Seven of the 16 patients showed a positive clinical response (i.e. MADRS score ≤12 at day 42). The pre-treatment red blood cell count was the variable most related to clinical response; low levels were found in almost all responders. To a lesser extent, plasma free tryptophan before treatment was also correlated to therapeutic response, with lower values being found in responders. During treatment, plasma free tryptophan was increased in responders and decreased in non-responders. The finding that elderly depressed patients with low pre-treatment red blood cell counts subsequently responded to fluoxetine treatment is consistent with the view that tryptophan, the precursor of serotonin in brain, is taken up by red blood cells.

Incremental analysis of diagnostic peritoneal lavage fluid in adult abdominal trauma

It is uncertain how much diagnostic peritoneal lavage (DPL) fluid must be recovered from abdominal trauma patients to avoid falsely low red blood cell (RBC) counts. A study was carried out to investigate this controversy. A convenience sample of adult abdominal trauma patients in a Level 1 university trauma center who were undergoing DPL with 1 L crystalloid was enrolled. Subjects with grossly positive or colorless effluent were excluded. A blinded prospective experimental design was used. Differences were evaluated among RBC counts collected at 200, 400, 600, and 800 mL of returned fluid using repeated-measures analysis of variance. In 11 patients, mean RBC counts collected at 200 and 400 mL were 24,600 (95% confidence interval [Cl], 20,700 to 29,100) and 39,700 (95% Cl, 33,200 to 47,100) cells/μL. These were substantially lower than the final mean count of 95,800 (95% Cl, 80,000 to 115,800), measured at 800 mL (F = 23.7, P < .0001). Mean counts at 600 mL were less than those obtained at 800 mL but were not statistically different ( P = .08). Two of the 11 subjects would have been misclassified (as not requiring surgery) had “early” sampling been used. In abdominal trauma patients, the RBC count of DPL fluid regularly increases as more fluid is recovered. It is important to collect >600 mL of effluent to avoid misleading, low RBC counts and misclassification of patients.

Effects of Exposure to Lead on Selected Biochemical and Haematological Variables

Blood and urine samples were taken from 34 persons occupationally exposed to lead and from 56 non-exposed control persons and blood lead and haemoglobin concentrations, red blood cell count, erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase (GSH-peroxidase) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE), and urinary delta-aminolevulinic acid were determined. Blood lead concentrations of the lead-exposed subjects were within the range of generally accepted as safe for occupationally-exposed adults in many countries (i.e. below 50 micrograms Pb/dl blood). Yet, significant dose-dependent elevations were found in erythrocyte GSH-peroxidase and urinary delta-aminolevulinic acid. The urinary delta-aminolevulinic acid concentration of lead-exposed smokers was significantly elevated over that of lead-exposed non-smokers. Smoking did not effect the urinary delta-aminolevulinic acid concentration of control persons. In addition, a statistically significantly lower red blood cell count was observed in the lead-exposed group. Our results indicate that the above described safety standard for blood lead concentrations in occupationally exposed adults, although generally accepted, needs revision.

Relationship of hematological variables to learning performance in aged Fischer-344 rats.

The relationship between hematological variables and the ability to perform behaviorally in two learning tests was evaluated in male F344 rats aged 22-24 months. Rats were screened for ability to meet criterion for learning one-way active avoidance in a straight runway task. Rats failing to meet criterion were given no further testing and were assigned to Group 1 (G1). Rats meeting criterion were tested in a 14-unit T-maze (2 days, 10 trials/day). Failure to negotiate the T-maze within 600 s on any three trials resulted in assignment to Group 2 (G2) with no further testing. Rats successfully completing both tasks constituted Group 3 (G3). Trunk blood was collected following behavioral testing and was assayed to determine red blood cell count (RBC), hematocrit (HCT), hemoglobin (HGB), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), white blood cell count (WBC), bands (BND), polymorphs (POLY), lymphocytes (LYM), monocytes (MON), and eosinophils (EOS). The combined G1/G2 group had significantly lower RBC, HCT, HGB, and EOS but significantly higher MCV and MCH than G3 rats. Correlation analysis revealed a positive relationship of group membership (i.e., learning test completion) to RBC, HCT, HGB, and EOS, but a negative correlation of group membership to MCH. No significant correlation emerged between any hematological characteristic and performance in either behavioral task. These results suggest that a simple blood test to determine HCT may be a useful screen for removal of moribund rats from aging studies attempting to control for effects of health on behavioral performance in rodent models.

Factors influencing calf morbidity and mortality in smallholder dairy farms in Kiambu District of Kenya

Patterns of calf morbidity and mortality were examined for 78 of 90 randomly selected smallholder dairy farms in Kiambu District, Kenya that had at least one calf during the 12 months between July 1991 and June 1992. Overall, 201 calves (104 males and 97 females) were observed on at least one visit. The crude calf morbidity and mortality rates were 27% and 22% per year, respectively. Diarrhoea was the most common cause of morbidity and mortality. Factors associated with calf morbidity and mortality were studied via multiple logistic regression models stratified by the dairy society. The only risk factor associated with calf morbidity was calf age. Morbidity rates for calves from 1 and 3 months (4% per month) and greater than 5 months (3% per month) were higher than for calves less than 1 month or 4 and 5 months of age (both 1% per month). Increased calf mortality was associated with prior clinical illness (crude risk rate 8.2; P=0.000), lower red blood cell count ( P=0.006), and feeding of grain concentrate ( P=0.028). Feeding mineral was associated with lower mortality ( P=0.016).

Patient information on chemotherapy-induced bone marrow suppression

Given the few resources available to complement patient teaching on the subject of chemotherapy-induced myelosuppression, the following information sheets were developed for patients receiving chemotherapy: "What Are My Counts?", "Low Red Blood Cell Count", "Low White Blood Cell Count" and "Low Platelet Count". These resources are designed for patients who experience moderate to profound bone marrow suppression.

Seasonal changes of blood values in the andean mouse Abrothrix andinus

1. 1. Bimonthly measurements of hematological indices were conducted in freshly captured Abrothrix andinus (Rodentia:Cricetidae) over a period of one year. 2. 2. All blood values were in the same range for adult males and females, but juveniles showed lower red blood cell counts (RBC) and erythrocytes of larger size. 3. 3. High RBC numbers, a slight but significant increase of blood hemoglobin concentration (Hb), and a significant decrease in mean cell volume (MCV) were found during the winter months. 4. 4. Hematocrit values (Hct) and the mean cell Hb concentration (MCHC) were relatively constant throughout the year. 5. 5. Plasticity of MCV and an inverse correlation between size and the number of RBC may provide an enlarged diffusion area during winter. This mechanism appears to be a useful seasonal adjustment, since the increase of Hct and the concurrent increase in blood viscosity are avoided.

Are rainy season environmental stresses responsible for higher mortality in pashmina goats?

A study was conducted to analyse the causes of death during the period January 1985 to December 1989, in pashmina kids and goats thought to be acclimatised to a medium altitude climate. In general, mortality was higher during the rainy season (up to 62 percent) than in the winter (17 percent) and summer seasons (21 percent). An exception was the year 1987 when mortality was lowest in the rainy season, presumably due to the effects of a drought. During the rainy season the majority of 6–12 month-old kids became dull, off-feed, weak, emaciated and anaemic. Occasionally these animals showed nasal discharge and diarrhoea. Haematological examination of randomly selected animals during rainy, post-rainy and early-winter seasons in 1985, 1986 and 1989 showed very low red blood cell counts (RBC), haemoglobin (Hb) and packed cell volume (PCV); with elevated erythrocytic sedimentation rates (ESR), neutrophilia, relative lymphopaenia, eosinopaenia, hypoproteinaemia, hypoalbuminaemia, hypogamaglobinaemia, increased A:G ratio and hypoglycemia. Red blood cells showed piokilocytosis, anisocytosis, punched out or ring shapes, presence of erythroblasts, basophilic stippling and Anaplasma marginale.Post-mortem examination revealed lesions of parasites either singly or in combination. These included lice, coccidia, Moniezia expansa, Haemonchus contortus,and Trichuris ovis.Poor or slightly improved health state, anaemic blood picture and moderated mortality were witnessed 45 days post-treatment or during the post-rainy season. Early-winter studies indicated that the goats were in an excellent health condition with normal blood picture and negligible mortality.

Electromagnetic fields of an electric dipole on a layered half-space with azimuthally anisotropic conductivity

The most severe form of kidney disease, End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) is treated with various forms of dialysis – artificial blood cleansing. Dialysis patients suffer many health burdens including high mortality and hospitalization rates, and symptomatic anemia: a low red blood cell count as indicated by a low hemoglobin (Hgb) level. ESRD-induced anemia is treated, with variable patient response, by erythropoiesis stimulating agents (ESAs): expensive injectable medications typically administered during dialysis sessions. The dosing protocol is typically a population level protocol based on original clinical trials, the use of which often results in Hgb cycling. This cycling phenomenon occurs primarily due to the mismatch in the time between dosing decisions and the time it takes for the effects of a dosing change to be fully realized. In this paper we develop a recurrent neural network approach that uses historic data together with future ESA and iron dosing data to predict the 1, 2, and 3 month Hgb levels of patients with ESRD-induced anemia. The results of extensive experimentation indicate that this approach generates predictions that are clinically relevant: the mean absolute error of the predictions is comparable to estimates of the intra-individual variability of the laboratory test for Hgb.

Effect of vitamin A in enteral formulae for burned guinea-pigs

A burned guinea-pig model (30 per cent body surface area) was used to study the effects of dietary vitamin A. Sixty-five female guinea-pigs were infused enterally via gastrostomy feeding tubes with identical formulae (175 kcal/kg/day, 20 per cent of calories as protein) containing varying amounts of vitamin A. Groups I, II, III and IV received formulae containing 0, 10 000iu (approximately equivalent to the guinea-pigs' RDA), 50 000 iu (5 x RDA) and 250 000 iu (25 x RDA) of vitamin A per litre, respectively. After 14 days of tube feeding, the animals were killed. Group I animals had evidence of vitamin A deficiency including low haemoglobin levels, lower red blood cell counts and lower caecal mucosal weight. Findings of hypervitaminosis A were observed only in animals given the highest dose of vitamin A (25 × RDA). These were elevated serum alkaline phosphatase and complement C3 levels and enlarged adrenal glands. Group IV also showed defective cell-mediated immunity as reflected by reduced delayed cutaneous response to dinitrofluorobenzene. In a second experiment groups I, II, III and IV were given formulas containing 0,1 × RDA, 5 × RDA, and 10 × RDA of vitamin A respectively for 14 days. Through postburn days 12 to 14 they were injected subcutaneously with 3 × 10 8 of Staphylococcus aureus once daily. On postburn day 15 the animals were killed and the numbers of viable bacteria at each injection site were counted. No significant differences were observed in viable bacterial numbers between the groups. Serum vitamin A concentration was significantly lower in group I, and there was no sign of hypervitaminosis A in the other groups. These findings suggest that vitamin A is needed following burn injury, and doses of I RDA to 10 RDA may be administered safely. However, overdosage (25 × RDA) may be quite harmful.

Effects of ketamine anaesthesia, stress and repeated bleeding on the haematology of vervet monkeys.

Haematology values are presented for the vervet monkey (Cercopithecus aethiops), and the relative effects of high dose ketamine anaesthesia, stress of capture and repeated bleedings assessed. Anaesthesia resulted in decreased WBC and RBC values, attributed to depression of cardiovascular function. These effects were the reverse of those of alarm and strenuous exercise (leukocytosis and polycythaemia) during capture. Stress resulted in relatively high white and low red blood cell counts. Opposing effects of stress and anaesthesia led to comparable haematological values for trained, non-anaesthetized vervets and stressed, anaesthetized vervets. Effects of repeated bleedings were opposite in anaesthetized and non-anaesthetized animals. These effects, however, along with those of ketamine anaesthesia and stress, were relatively insignificant compared with the wide variation in haematological values found among individuals. The biological importance of these effects thus appeared to be slight. The concept of 'normal values' is discussed.

FREQUENCY OF BETA-THALLASSEMIA TRAIT AMONG PREGNANT WOMEN IN THEIR LAST TRIMESTER WITH HYPOCHROMIC MICROCYTIC ANEMIA

Background: Beta-Thalassaemia is a public health issue. Generally, very few people know about it in detail. Due to ignorance, government bear tremendous financial cost to care for it. Methods: This was a cross sectional observational study conducted in an outdoor patient department (OPD) of Gynecology and obstetrics of a Postgraduate Medical Institute at Peshawar, from August 2012 to Jan 2013. A Total of 56 women in their last trimester of pregnancy were included. Required information's were recorded on predesigned proforrma as per objectives of the study. Results: Most of the participants were of age 20 to 49 years with mean+ SD of 34+3.4years. Majority (87.5%) of the Red Blood Cell (RBC) count was equal or less than 4600000/cmm3. A few (12.5%) of the participants had their RBC count more than 4600000/cmm3. More than two-thirds (76.79%) had RDW (Red Cell Width Distribution SD) below 45%, while less (20.21%) had RDW more than 45%. The seven cases that had high RBC count underwent Hb- Electrophoresis where in two cases (3.2%) were reported to be ? -thalssaemia trait. Conclusion: Majority of the patient were having low RBC count that needed further investigations i.e Serum Ferritin to confirm the iron deficiency. Similarly those who have had high RBC count when subjected to Hb-electrophoresis, showed B.thallassemia trait. We suggest all those cases having RBC count more than 4600000/cmm3 and RDW-SD less than 45% may further be screened for thalssaemia trait, that may help to counselling families for future.

The effect of selenous acid on the hematopoietic system of chicken embryos

The yolk sac injection of selenous acid into fertilized White Plymouth Rock eggs during day 4 of incubation produced anemia in a number of malformed and grossly normal 19-day-old embryos. The anemia was characterized by low red blood cell counts and hemoglobin values. The mean corpuscular hemoglobin showed a wide range of variation around the mean especially in the grossly normal embryos. Although a higher percentage of malformed embryos were anemic, some of the grossly normal embryos had lower red blood cell counts and hemoglobin values. The number of circulating white blood cells (granulocytes) of 19-day-old embryos injected with selenium on day 4 of incubation was not significantly different from those of normal controls. Radioautographic studies revealed that, in vivo, selenous acid caused a decrease in the uptake of tritiated thymidine in the circulating blood cells of 4-day-old embryos. The in vitro uptake of tritiated thymidine also decreased in the lymphocytes of the bursa of Fabricius and spleen removed from 19-day-old embryos treated with selenous acid during early development.

ABNORMAL LEUKOCYTES IN SCHIZOPHRENIA.

The purposes of the present paper are: (1) to confirm the finding of abnormal circulating leukocytes in schizophrenic patients; (2) to show their finer cytological details; and (3) to discuss the effect of the finding of these abnormal cells upon our concepts of the etiology of mental disease. The search for a cellular abnormality in the blood or tissues of psychiatric patients is almost as old as the microscope itself. Already in 1844 Andral¹had described low red blood cell counts in some neurotic patients and stated that "... even in the neuroses the study of the state of the blood may be important." Fifty years ago, in 1914, Itten⁴⁶reported an increase in lymphocyte count in schizophrenia and reviewed a considerable literature concerning the white cells in schizophrenia. He noted improvement when the lymphocyte count fell. Recent reports have described morphological abnormalities

Management of massive melena of undetermined origin.

The term massive melena means the passage of large amounts of blood by rectum, frequently producing shock and a low hemoglobin and red blood cell count. This condition may necessitate several transfusions. Occasionally a patient who has had repeated gastrointestinal studies and exploratory celiotomies which have failed to reveal the source of bleeding comes for treatment of massive melena. This problem has been discussed by others, particular Stone,1of Baltimore, and such a case has been presented previously from this clinic by Norcross and Cattell.2In this paper, the problem of obscure massive melena will be reviewed, diagnostic methods evaluated, and a plan of management proposed. With such patients the immediate treatment consists of restoring the blood volume by repeated transfusions. Another attempt is then made by diagnostic methods to determine the location and nature of the lesion. The physical examination will aid in ruling out any systemic