The following is the full blood count of a 66-year-old man admitted to the High Dependency Unit following a gastro-intestinal haemorrhage:
|
Parameter |
Result |
Normal Range |
|
Haemoglobin |
84 G/L* |
130 – 175 |
|
White Cell Count |
8.3 x 109/L |
4.0 – 11.0 |
|
Platelets |
240 x 109/L |
150 – 450 |
|
Reticulocytes |
220 x 109/L* |
10 – 80 |
|
Neutrophils |
5.8 x 109/L |
1.8 – 7.5 |
|
Lymphocytes |
1.5 x 109/L |
1.5 – 4.0 |
|
Monocytes |
0.4 x 109/L |
0.2 – 0.8 |
|
Eosinophils |
0.6 x 109/L* |
0.0 – 0.4 |
|
Haematocrit |
0.25* |
0.4 – 0.52 |
|
MCV |
88.4 fl |
82 – 98 |
|
MCH |
30.2 pg |
27.0 – 34.0 |
|
MCHC |
341 g/L |
310 – 360 |
What is the most likely cause of this haematological profile?
Acute blood loss
If one were obsessive, one could also point out that the slight elevation of the eosinophil count could point to eosinophilic oesophagitis- but it could just as easily be a reaction to the transfusion of blood products.
Overall, the blood results have nothing weird in them except anaemia.
Sgouros, Spiros N., Christina Bergele, and Apostolos Mantides. "Eosinophilic esophagitis in adults: a systematic review." European journal of gastroenterology & hepatology 18.2 (2006): 211-217.