Erythrocytes are responsible for the level of oxygen in the blood and the amount of hemoglobin. When the level of erythrocytes drops sharply, the reticulocytes are intensively produced in the bone marrow. These cells in a few days turn into full-fledged red blood cells and are able to fully compensate for the deficit that has arisen. What is the norm of reticulocytes, and what can the change in their quantity mean, we will discuss today.
What is the norm of reticulocytes in the blood?
The content of reticulocytes in the blood can vary for many reasons. In general, they include pathological processes associated with blood loss and oppression of the kidneys and bone marrow. The fact is that the transformation of reticulocytes into erythrocytes occurs under the influence of erythropoietin, a hormone produced by the adrenals and kidneys. The norm of reticulocytes is determined in ppm relative to the total amount of blood and among other things can show a deficiency of this hormone. The increase in erythropoietin indicates oxygen starvation, the causes of this phenomenon are different:
- accelerated destruction of erythrocytes as a result of chemical attack from the outside;
- destruction of erythrocytes due to chemical activity of the organism;
- loss of large amounts of blood;
- respiratory depression;
- breakthrough, or blockage of large arteries.
The norm of reticulocytes in women and men varies greatly. Before the puberty period, boys and girls are on equal terms, but in the process of reproductive activity, women lose a lot of menstrual blood, and in the place with it and red blood cells, so the reticulocyte counts fluctuate greatly. So, here is the norm of reticulocytes in percent for different age categories of patients:
- newborn infants - 0.15-1.5%;
- 2-6 week of life - 0.45-2.1;
- 8-12 week of life - 0,25-0,9%;
- 6 months - 1.5 years - 0.2-1%;
- 1,5 -2 years - 0,2-0,7%;
- from 2 to 6 years - 0.2-0.8%;
- from 6 to 13 years - 0.2-1.3%;
- girls over 13 years and adults - 0.12-2.05%;
- boys over 13 years and men - 0,24-1,7%.
If the number of reuculocytes is normal, this is not a guarantee that the body is healthy, only a repeated blood test can confirm the absence of pathologies. Determine the level of reticulocytes by the blood taken from the vein. Very small children can use capillary blood for this purpose.
What can become a deviation of reticulocytes from the norm in the analysis of blood?
If the total blood test shows that the reticulocytes are below normal, this may indicate such changes in the body's functioning:
- all kinds of kidney disease;
- damage to the bone marrow;
- depletion of organs as a result of permanent erythropoiesis (destruction of erythrocytes and the need for their enhanced production);
- aplastic anemia ;
- hypoplastic anemia;
- folate deficiency anemia;
- blood and hemopoietic diseases;
- oncological diseases with metastasis in bone structures;
- chronic alcoholism.
An elevated level of reticulocytes suggests that there was a significant decrease in the number of red blood cells and the body reacted to it adequately - by an increase
- the effectiveness of anti-anemia therapy;
- recent heavy bleeding;
- massive destruction of erythrocytes;
- malaria ;
- Thalassemia and other infectious diseases affecting hemoglobin and erythrocytes;
- oncological diseases with bone marrow damage.
The exact cause of fluctuations in the level of reticulocytes can be established by carefully studying the entire history.