Background
A 10-month-old Central American child was referred to the laboratory for testing after being seen by a pediatrician. The phlebotomist noted that the child was very pale and listless. The following tests were ordered: CBC with platelet, reticulocyte count, total serum bilirubin, total serum iron, and total iron-binding capacity (TIBC), as well as a stool examination for occult blood, ova, and parasites. The results are listed below:
Parameter
Result
Reference Range
Hemoglobin
5.6 g/dL
10.5-13.5 g/dL
Hematocrit
24%
33-42%
RBC
3.5 x 1012/L
3.7-5.3 x 1012/L
WBC
10.5 x 109/L
6.0-18.0 x 109/L
Platelet
200 x 109/L
150-450 x 109/L
MCV
68.6 fL
74-91 fL
MCH
16 pg
23-31 pg
MCHC
23%
32-36%
Retic count
0.5%
0.5-2.0%
Total serum bilirubin
0.9 mg/dL
0.3-1.9 mg/dL
Serum iron
40 µg/dL
50-160 µg/dL
Serum ferritin
5 ng/mL
15-400 ng/mL
TIBC
465 µg/dL
250-400 µg/dL
% Saturation
8.6%
20-55%
The stool examination was negative for occult blood, ova, and parasites.
What kind of erythrocyte morphology would you expect to observe in the peripheral blood of this patient?
What would the bone marrow look like in this patient if we stained a slide with Wrightâs Stain? And with Prussian blue?
Background
A 10-month-old Central American child was referred to the laboratory for testing after being seen by a pediatrician. The phlebotomist noted that the child was very pale and listless. The following tests were ordered: CBC with platelet, reticulocyte count, total serum bilirubin, total serum iron, and total iron-binding capacity (TIBC), as well as a stool examination for occult blood, ova, and parasites. The results are listed below:
| Parameter | Result | Reference Range |
| Hemoglobin | 5.6 g/dL | 10.5-13.5 g/dL |
| Hematocrit | 24% | 33-42% |
| RBC | 3.5 x 1012/L | 3.7-5.3 x 1012/L |
| WBC | 10.5 x 109/L | 6.0-18.0 x 109/L |
| Platelet | 200 x 109/L | 150-450 x 109/L |
| MCV | 68.6 fL | 74-91 fL |
| MCH | 16 pg | 23-31 pg |
| MCHC | 23% | 32-36% |
| Retic count | 0.5% | 0.5-2.0% |
| Total serum bilirubin | 0.9 mg/dL | 0.3-1.9 mg/dL |
| Serum iron | 40 µg/dL | 50-160 µg/dL |
| Serum ferritin | 5 ng/mL | 15-400 ng/mL |
| TIBC | 465 µg/dL | 250-400 µg/dL |
| % Saturation | 8.6% | 20-55% |
The stool examination was negative for occult blood, ova, and parasites.
What kind of erythrocyte morphology would you expect to observe in the peripheral blood of this patient?
What would the bone marrow look like in this patient if we stained a slide with Wrightâs Stain? And with Prussian blue?
