The significance of automated reticulocyte multiple parameters analysis in patients with thalassemia

Objective To investigate the reference value range of automated reticulocyte multiple parameters analysis in Chinese healthy people,and to discuss changes and clinical significances of these parameters in thalassemia patients. Methods Automated reticulocyte counting(7parameters) were measured in 66 healthy controls and in 33 thalassemia patients with Coulter-GENS system 2 automated blood cell counter. Results The reference ranges of automated reticulocyte multiple parameters analysis in normal healthy were: RET% 1.34±0.42(0.86%-1.82%);RET# 0.05 9±0.019(0.036- 0.082 );IRF 0.3±0.04(0.26-0.34);HLR% 0.38±0.12(0.24%-0.52%);HLR# 0.017±0.005(0.01-0.024);MRV 113±7(106-120);MSCV 91±6(85-97). There were significant differences between normol subjects and thalassemia patients in most of the parameters. RET%,RET#,HLR% and HLR# in thalassemia patients were significantly higher than those in healthy control, otherwise, MRV and MSCV were obviously decreased in thalassemia patients. There were some correlations between the changes of reticulocyte multiple parameters and the severity of patients.Conclusion The increased proportion of immature reticulocytes in thalassemia patients might be one of the main reasons of ineffective erythropoiesis. Automated reticulocyte multiple parameters analysis can give information about severity of thalassemia to some distance