CORRELATION OF PERIPHERAL SMEAR WITH RBC INDICES AND RBC HISTOGRAM IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF ANEMIAAT TERTIARY CARE CENTER

Introduction: RBC histogram is an integral part of automated analysis which in association with RBC indices, hematocrit, and RBC distribution width provides major clues in the diagnosis and management of red cell disorders. Aims & Objective: To correlate peripheral smear findings with RBC histogram patterns and RBC indices in the diagnosis of anemia. Material And Methods: 500 anemic patients with hemoglobin level< 11.5gm % on EDTAsample is collected and analysis done by ABX Micros 60 – HORIBA. An impression was made by the giemsa stain peripheral smear without referring to the histogram. The RBC histogram and RBC indices were analyzed and the anemia was categorized. The correlation between the diagnosis made by peripheral smear vs RBC histogram, indices was analyzed using Cramer's V. Results: Correlation of peripheral smear analysis with RBC indices and RBC histogram were done. On RBC histogram and RBC indices, 80(16%) cases showed normocytic anemia out of 76(15.2%) cases confirmed on peripheral smear. On RBC histogram and RBC indices 342(68.4%) cases showed microcytic anemia out of 329(65.8%) cases confirmed on peripheral smear. On RBC histogram and RBC indices, 25(5%) cases showed macrocytic anemia out of 11(2.2%) cases confirmed on peripheral smear. In dimorphic anemia, 62(12.4%) cases were confirmed on peripheral smear, but RBC histogram and RBC indices revealed 45(9%) cases. Hemolytic anemia, 22(4.4%) cases were confirmed on peripheral smear, but RBC histogram and RBC indices revealed 8 (1.6%) cases. The correlation between diagnosis made by peripheral smear vs RBC histogram and indices was analyzed using Cramer's V (0.667) which was statistically significant and the p-value is <0.0001. Conclusion: We concluded that diagnosis of anemia is supplemented by RBC indices and histogram while interpreting microscopic examination of peripheral smear, a good idea can be obtained from reviewing the histogram. However, visual microscopy is always superior for differentiating cells.