title: Erythrocyte and reticulocyte parameters in iron deficiency and thalassemia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Red blood cells (RBCs) extended parameters or erythrocyte subsets are now reported by the new Sysmex XE 5000 analyzer. This study was aimed at establishing a characteristic analytical feature, including the new erythrocyte and reticulocyte parameters, in case of thalassemia trait and iron deficiency (IDA).
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety healthy individuals, 136 β-thalassemia carriers, 121 mild IDA, and 126 severe IDA patients were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The values obtained for the RBC extended parameters were significantly different (P<0.0001) in the groups; the only exception was %Hypo-He in the case of mild IDA and thalassemia (P=0.6226). %Hypo-He was considerably greater in severe IDA (23.4%) than in mild cases (12.4%), P<0.0001. %MicroR was more increased in thalassemia (38.6 %) than in the mild IDA (16.5%, P<0.001) and in severe IDA (21.6%, P<0.001). Immature reticulocyte fraction (IRF) mean values in the groups were statistically different; the thalassemia group had an intermediate value (8.7%) between healthy (4.4%) and IDA (16.7 and 12.9%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Erythrocytosis and severe microcytosis, together with a high percentage of microcytes and a moderate increase in IRF, is the profile of β-thalassemia carriers, whereas anisocytosis and the hypochromic subset correlates with the severity of the anemia in iron-deficient patients.
authors.affiliation: Hematology Laboratory, Hospital Galdakao-Usansolo, Galdakao, Vizcaya, Spain. eloisa.urrechagaigartua@osakidetza.net
authors.forename: Eloísa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Urrechaga
authors.forename: Luís
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Borque
authors.forename: Jesús F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Escanero
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012156:Reticulocytes / Q000473:pathology*; D013789:Thalassemia / Q000097:blood*