Measurements of cell volume and hemoglobin concentration of erythrocytes from hereditary ovalocytosis and hereditary spherocytosis.

ABSTRACT

Red cell analysis using the laser technique was done on erythrocytes from 11 cases of hereditary ovalocytosis (HV) and one case of hereditary spherocytosis (HS). Heterogeneity in red cell volume measured as red cell distribution width (RDW) and heterogeneity of hemoglobin concentration in the red cells as measured by hemoglobin concentration distribution width (HDW) were analyzed. All of the studied cases showed abnormal increase in both RDW and HDW. The patient with HS had decreased MCV 77.4 fL (normal range = 80-99 fL). The HS patient had microcytes 14.7 per cent with markedly increased RDW 22.3 per cent (normal range = 11.5-14.5%). Increased hemoglobin concentration was demonstrated in HS red cells as shown by increased CHCM 39.2 g/dl (normal range = 33-37) with 5.86 g/dl of HDW (normal range = 2.2-3.3 g/dl). The HV patients had slightly decreased cell volume, MCV = 84.1 +/- 11.8 fL, with 9.2 +/- 10.1 per cent microcytes and 17.5 +/- 5.7 per cent RDW. Decreased hemoglobin concentration was shown in HV red cells as shown by decreased CHCM (31.7 +/- 1.9 g/dl) with slightly increased HDW (3.3 +/- 0.9 g/dl). The HV patients had increased per cent hypochromic red cells (14.8 +/- 18.6%). The ovalocytic red cells in HV patients had obviously reduced hemoglobin concentration compared to the spherical red cells of HS patients.