Using the hemoglobin content of reticulocytes (RET-He) to evaluate anemia in patients with cancer Journal Article
| Authors: | Peerschke, E. I.; Pessin, M. S.; Maslak, P. |
| Article Title: | Using the hemoglobin content of reticulocytes (RET-He) to evaluate anemia in patients with cancer |
| Abstract: | OBJECTIVES: Evaluation of anemia, particularly iron deficiency, in patients with cancer is difficult. This study examined using the hemoglobin content of reticulocytes (RET-He) to rule out iron deficiency, as defined by serum iron studies (transferrin saturation <20%, serum iron <40 μg/dL, and ferritin <100 ng/mL), in an unselected cancer patient population. METHODS: Patients were entered into the study based on the existence of concurrent laboratory test requests for CBC and serum iron studies. RESULTS: Using a threshold of 32 pg/cell, RET-He ruled out iron deficiency with a negative predictive value (NPV) of 98.5% and 100%, respectively, in the study population (n = 209) and in a subpopulation of patients with low reticulocyte counts (n = 19). In comparison, the NPV of traditional CBC parameters (hemoglobin, <11 g/dL; mean corpuscular volume, <80 fL) was only 88.5%. CONCLUSIONS: These results support the use of RET-He in the evaluation of iron deficiency in a cancer care setting. |
| Keywords: | adolescent; adult; child; preschool child; aged; aged, 80 and over; child, preschool; middle aged; young adult; sensitivity and specificity; neoplasm; neoplasms; metabolism; anemia; hemoglobin; blood; infant; iron; mean corpuscular volume; iron deficiency; hemoglobins; ferritin; transferrin; hematology; ferritins; complication; reticulocyte; reticulocytes; very elderly; cancer; humans; human; male; female; ret-he; anemia, iron-deficiency; erythrocyte indices |
| Journal Title: | American Journal of Clinical Pathology |
| Volume: | 142 |
| Issue: | 4 |
| ISSN: | 0002-9173 |
| Publisher: | Oxford University Press |
| Date Published: | 2014-10-01 |
| Start Page: | 506 |
| End Page: | 512 |
| Language: | English |
| DOI: | 10.1309/ajcpcvz5b0boyjgn |
| PUBMED: | 25239418 |
| PROVIDER: | scopus |
| PMCID: | PMC4962332 |
| DOI/URL: | |
| Notes: | Export Date: 2 March 2015 -- Source: Scopus |
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