Question
The child’s routine blood test showed a platelet distribution width of 8.5, which is 6 points lower than normal. The average hemoglobin content was 22.6, which is 5 points lower than normal. The mean corpuscular volume was 71.2, which is 10 points lower than normal, and the red blood cell count was 5.93, which is 1.4 points higher than normal. Is it anemia or thalassemia?
Answer
In a routine blood test, the three main indicators are white blood cell count (WBC), hemoglobin level (HGB), and platelet count (PLT), while other indicators are secondary. Generally, if the main indicators are normal and only the secondary indicators show slight abnormalities, there is no cause for concern. Since the hemoglobin level did not increase, there is no anemia. However, both the mean corpuscular volume and average hemoglobin content are low, indicating small-sized hypochromic red blood cells, which could suggest a potential gene carrier for thalassemia. It is recommended to first test for serum iron levels; if they are normal, the possibility of thalassemia gene testing is high.