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The simplest method for correcting the reticulocyte count, to obtain a more accurate daily production index, is to divide the corrected count by a factor of 2 (or multiply with ½) whenever polychromasia (the presence of immature marrow reticulocytes or "shift" cells) is observed on the smear or the immature fraction on the automated counter is ...
The reticulocyte production index (RPI) or corrected reticulocyte count (CRC) represents the true significance of the absolute reticulocyte count to provide some reflection of erythropoietic demand and supply. The immature reticulocyte fraction (IRF) goes a step further to cast more light on the same question. [citation needed]
A reticulocyte percentage that is higher than "normal" can be a sign of anemia, but this depends on the health of a person's bone marrow. Calculating the reticulocyte production index is an important step in understanding whether or not the reticulocyte count is appropriate to the situation. This is often a more important question than whether ...
The reticulocyte production index is a calculation of the ratio between the level of anemia and the extent to which the reticulocyte count has risen in response. If the degree of anemia is significant, even a "normal" reticulocyte count actually may reflect an inadequate response.
The index is calculated from the results of a complete blood count. If the quotient of the mean corpuscular volume (MCV, in fL) divided by the red blood cell count (RBC, in million per microliter) is less than 13, β-thalassemia trait is said to be more likely. If the result is greater than 13, then iron-deficiency anemia is said to be more likely.
Reticulocytosis is a laboratory finding in which the number of reticulocytes (immature red blood cells) in the bloodstream is elevated. Reticulocytes account for approximately 0.5% to 2.5% of the total red blood cells in healthy adults and 2% to 6% in infants, but in reticulocytosis, this percentage rises. [1]
The MCV can be conceptualized as the total volume of a group of cells divided by the number of cells. For a real world sized example, imagine you had 10 small jellybeans with a combined volume of 10 μL. The mean volume of a jellybean in this group would be 10 μL / 10 jellybeans = 1 μL / jellybean. A similar calculation works for MCV.
Reticulocyte production often recovers within one week. Parvovirus infection in people reliant on frequent red cell production due to low baseline production or high turnover rates are at risk of developing a life-threatening condition called aplastic crisis (see below).