Automated Reticulocyte Count in Thalassemia

Reticulocyte Counting in Thalassemia Using Different Automated Technologies

Pornvaree Lamchiagdhase, Kovit Pattanapanyasat, Wanna Muangsup

Laboratory Hematology 6:73-78
© 2000 Carden Jennings Publishing Co., Ltd.

The reticulocyte count represents an important test in the study of marrow erythropoietic activity. Automated techniques have led to a significant improvement in the accuracy and precision of reticulocyte enumeration compared with manual counting. This study compared automated reticulocyte counting by 2 technologies (Coulter Gen S and Sysmex R-2000) in samples from 45 healthy subjects and 66 thalassemic patients (21 hemoglobin [Hb] H, 8 Hb H/Constant Spring [CS], 20 -thalassemia [-thal]/Hb E nonsplenectomy, and 17 -thal/Hb E splenectomy). There was no statistically significant difference between the 2 methods, although the Sysmex R-2000 showed a slightly higher mean reticulocyte count (RC). The overall correlation between the 2 instruments was r = 0.877. RCs in all thalassemia groups were significantly higher than in control subjects (p < .0001). There was no significant difference among -thalassemia syndromes, although absolute RCs of Hb H/CS patients had the highest values, indicating better compensatory erythropoiesis. Compared with nonsplenectomized -thal/Hb E patients, splenectomized -thal/Hb E patients had a higher percentage of reticulocytes, a higher absolute RC, a higher percentage of high-light-scatter reticulocytes, and greater mean reticulocyte volume, mean sphered cell volume, and high-fluorescence-intensity ratio. Patients with -thal/Hb E showed a more severe degree of ineffective erythro-poiesis than patients with -thalassemic syndromes. In conclusion, we have shown good agreement between the 2 automated reticulocyte counting technologies.

LH.6.2.3.Lamchiagdhase.pdf

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