It is called anisocytosis to an abnormality in the size of the red blood cells whereby they have a uniform size, instead of varying between them. This fact is usually caused, in its great majority, by some form of anemia and is detected through a blood test. Anisocytes, also known as ADE, are classified based on the size of red blood cells measured by their mean corpusular volume or MCV, used in the study of blood as a mean. In this OneHowTo.com article we explain the different causes of anisocytosis.
Anisocytosis due to anemia
There are different causes for which anisocytosis can be detected; the most common is anemia. Anemia is an alteration in the production of red blood cells for which there are fewer of them. In addition, they can cause variations in the size of the cells in the blood.
- Dyseroblastic anemia. A disorder in which the bone marrow produces sideroblasts instead of red blood cells.
- Congenital dyserythropoietic anemia. It usually appears in childhood or early age flatters. It is a series of inherited disorders of hematopoiesis, that is, of the formation of red blood cells.
- Congenital anemia. It is that disorder that is suffered from birth.
- Thalassemia. It is a genetic disease that involves a lower presence of hemoglobin as well as red blood cells.
- Debler’s anemia. It is a type of family disorder that begins during childhood and involves early destruction of red blood cells.
- Fancon pancytopeniai. Fanconi anemia is called a hereditary disorder that involves mutations in a gene, which is why a protein responsible for DNA repair is not correctly encoded.
Vitamin and mineral deficiencies
Another cause that may be behind anisocytosis are some dvitamin and mineral efficiencies that influence the production of red blood cells in the blood. People with a deficiency of iron, vitamin B12 and vitamin A, can suffer these changes in the size of blood cells.
The lack of vitamins and minerals has effects on the human body, which can affect its proper development and function. Thus, a lack of vitamin A can lead to blurred vision, upper respiratory infections, frequent bone fractures, high cholesterol, dry hair and skin, etc. Lack of vitamin B12 causes a drop in the number of red blood cells, memory loss, weakness, damage to the nervous system, growth retardation, etc. As we can see, it is very important to eat a diet that allows the body to administer all the vitamins and minerals it needs for its proper functioning, and to be in good health. In this article you can discover the benefits of vitamin B12.
Blood transfusions
When a person undergoes a blood transfusion, the red blood cells that are transfused may be larger or smaller than those of the person receiving the transfusion, so it can be another cause of anisocytosis. However, in this case the anisocytosis is usually temporary.
Some of the consequences that a blood transfusion can lead to are:
- Iron excess. When blood transfusions are frequent, the body accumulates iron that it is not able to eliminate, so it is stored in different deposits of the body, causing damage to the organs.
- Red blood cell antibodies. When a person receives a blood transfusion, they can receive red blood cells that are incompatible with their own, so the body rejects them by creating antibodies against them. As a consequence, these antibodies destroy all the red blood cells that you receive with the same characteristics.
- Infections Despite the fact that blood banks make sure to draw blood from completely healthy people, there is a risk that infections can be transmitted when performing the transfusion.
This article is merely informative, at oneHOWTO we do not have the power to prescribe any medical treatment or make any type of diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any type of condition or discomfort.