A blood test makes it possible to determine the presence of pathological changes in the human body. If, according to the results of a laboratory examination, the color index (CIC) is reduced, it is important to find out the decoding of its value. Why is this value calculated and what does it affect?
The blood color index tells you what relative amount of hemoglobin is in the red blood cells. Red cells get their hue thanks to iron-containing pigment. Accordingly, if the hemoglobin level decreases, then the CP will “turn pale” and, conversely, when it increases, the color saturation will become more contrasting.
Designation in blood tests
How is the color indicator indicated in a general blood test?
Before the advent of modern laboratory analyzers, the color indicator of blood was designated as CP. The result was recorded in picograms, the norm was 27-33 pg. Then they began to write the result without units of measurement - 0.8-1.1. In large analyzers, where the analysis form is issued by a computer, the designation is different - MSN. This is an international abbreviation - Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin. The result is recorded in grams per deciliter, the norm is 32-37 g/dl.
There is another criterion that has a more precise clinical meaning - MSHC. It indicates the degree of hemoglobin saturation of the average red blood cell, calculated as a percentage. The criterion does not depend on gender, age, or race. It can be calculated using the formula - hemoglobin multiplied by 10 and divided by hematocrit, the total volume of red blood cells. The MCHC norm is 4-5%.
Lymphocytes
(Lts)
- cells of the immune system. This is the “officer corps”, among which there are both “executors” and “performers”. But Lc from the general analysis is all lymphocytes, without division into types. In order to analyze them in more detail, an immunological analysis is required, which is more labor-intensive, expensive and takes up to 3-4 days. A decrease or increase in Lc indicates the activity of the immune system: a decrease indicates its weakening, and an increase (with a simultaneous decrease in Xia and Pya of neutrophils) indirectly indicates that there is a viral infection in the body.
What is a color index?
Normally, hemoglobin in red blood cells (erythrocytes) should contain from 27 to 33.3 pg (that is, pictograms). A unit or, in other words, a color index is considered to be 33 pg, and the norm is a color index value from 0.85-0.86 to 1.05-1.15 (the norm may differ slightly in different laboratories).
The color index is calculated using the following formula: the hemoglobin level in grams per liter is multiplied by 3 and divided by the first three digits of the number of red blood cells. Depending on how low or high it is, you can judge anemia and its type.
Monocytes
(M)
like neutrophils, they participate in cleansing the body of various aggressors; they usually live on the mucous membranes and in the submucosal layer. Participate in the formation and regulation of the immune response. Their behavior is reminiscent of police officers, because they grab the bacillus and carry it to the lymph node, where “fingerprints” - membranes - are taken from it, and then, based on these data, the Lc produces antibodies - proteins that destroy aggressors. Normally, there are few monocytes in the blood. Their increase indicates inflammation; absence is acceptable if there is no inflammation.
Normal blood color index among adults and children
The blood color index is normally higher in children, lower in adults:
- men and women - 0.8-1.1;
- newborns - 0.9-1.3;
- children under 15 years old - 0.85-1.
The color index of a child's blood is higher because fetal hemoglobin is present in his blood. This is a protein that is only present in the fetus during intrauterine development. A week after the birth of the child, it is destroyed, the CPU becomes lower.
There is no separate blood test for color indicator; it is looked at in a general clinical examination. An examination is prescribed if there are symptoms of anemia.
Neutrophils
They belong to leukocytes. These are “warrior” cells. They live up to 6 days and are busy guarding the “borders” - the mucous membranes. They are divided into 2 types: segmented-nuclear (Xia) and band-nuclear (Pya). The first are “veterans”, experienced fighters with bacilli, the second are “recruits”, freshly synthesized, inexperienced and weak. Normally, Xia should be 10 times greater than Pia. A change in this ratio towards Pya indicates that there is inflammation, the immune system is tense and throws immature cells into battle. Most often, this picture is observed in prolonged inflammatory conditions.
Causes of decreased blood color index and main symptoms
When the blood color index is reduced, you need to look for anemia and its cause. A color index below normal in infants indicates anemia in the mother. The child is born pale and underweight.
A low blood color index in older children is observed during periods of intense growth, when the body uses a lot of iron. This is especially pronounced in teenage girls during the formation of the menstrual cycle. Characteristic clinical manifestations:
- pale skin with a greenish tint;
- unmotivated fatigue;
- apathy;
- dizziness, episodes of loss of consciousness.
A low blood color index in women is also associated with gynecological diseases. With fibroids and endometriosis, menstrual blood loss is abundant. Against this background, chronic anemia develops. Symptoms: fatigue, dizziness, pale skin.
A decrease in color index may indicate more serious health problems:
- malignant tumors;
- hepatitis, liver cirrhosis;
- hereditary blood diseases;
- poisoning with salts of heavy metals;
- bone marrow damage;
- renal failure.
Determining the color index in such situations is not enough; a comprehensive examination of the patient should be carried out.
Hypochromia in a child: why is it dangerous?
Anemic syndrome is very common in pediatric practice. The absorption of iron can be impaired as a result of a lack of it in food or from the state of the gastrointestinal tract, where it is absorbed. Since a child under three years of age has a much higher need for iron-containing products than adults, one can understand why hypochromia is more common in pediatrics.
Every day, children at an early age are depleted of iron reserves, as the growing body requires a lot of useful substances. If they have iron deficiency anemia, then such a long-term condition can lead to complications:
- Respiratory tract infections;
- Gastrointestinal diseases;
- Neuropsychic disorders;
- Decreased vision and hearing due to poor conduction of nerve impulses.
A low color index in an infant can occur for various reasons. First of all, in newborns, iron deficiency is associated with a lack of the element in the mother during pregnancy. This condition is also observed with difficult gestation, hypoxia, bleeding, abnormal development of the umbilical cord and placenta. Children who are fed formula or animal milk products rather than breast milk do not get enough iron.
If the drop in CPP is not caused by intrauterine disorders, then it is worth looking for pathologies in the child’s body. Bleeding leads to iron deficiency hypochromia:
- Esophageal hernia;
- Gastrointestinal ulcers, hemorrhoids;
- Diverticula, tumors, polyps of the intestinal tract;
- Internal bleeding in the respiratory system.
Taking hormonal anti-inflammatory drugs also contributes to the loss of hemoglobin. If iron absorption is impaired, it is important to differentiate between helminthic infestations, Crohn's disease, and dysbacteriosis.
You can recognize anemia in a child by external signs. All patients experience pale skin, moodiness, sweating, lethargy, decreased appetite, vomiting after feeding, regurgitation, insomnia, and loss of muscle tone. Up to a year, regression of motor skills may be observed. In the second half of the year, roughness of the skin, cracks on the lips, stomatitis, caries, and physical developmental delay appear.
When is the color index increased or decreased?
The blood color index may be elevated in the presence of a disease such as B-12 deficiency anemia. In such patients, the tests are quite disappointing, which does not always immediately reveal the presence of a cause. As for the low color level, it exists in iron deficiency anemia, liver cirrhosis, or in the presence of malignant tumors. In medical terms, this disorder is referred to as hypochromia. It is possible to identify the main diseases that occur when there is a low color index in the blood. This:
- anemia due to lead poisoning;
- anemia during pregnancy;
- Iron-deficiency anemia.
If there is a high color index in the blood above 1.1, diseases such as:
- cancer;
- polyposis of the stomach;
- deficiency of vitamin B12 in the body;
- folic acid deficiency.
Important Additions
Comments are added to any analysis. For example, terms such as “anisocytosis”, “poikilocytosis”, “toxogenic granulation” indicate exposure to various toxins (including antibiotics, chemotherapy drugs, analgesics that are taken for too long) and essentially indicate the presence of damaged, altered bone cells brain (BM) - in both red and white blood. The appearance of so-called Joly bodies and Cabot rings in the analysis indicates possible pathological processes in the BM associated with the development of blood cancers. The presence of these structures in itself does not mean anything - only that a more detailed examination of the blood, bone marrow, and leukocytes is required. The article was published in the weekly magazine TV 7 / Your Health, No. 43 2009.
What to do if the blood color indicator decreases
Treatment for low blood color index is prescribed taking into account the cause. First, the underlying disease is treated. Additionally, it is recommended to adhere to proper nutrition and abandon a vegetarian diet. Avoid smoking and drinking alcohol.
The blood color index is low in a small child - his nutrition needs to be adjusted. During periods of intensive tissue growth, tissues consume a lot of iron. The diet should include meat dishes, fresh vegetables and fruits.
If the blood color index is low in an adult, it is also recommended to start with regulating nutrition. If signs of anemia persist, iron supplements are prescribed.
Nutrition
A diet aimed at restoring CP should contain foods rich in iron and vitamins. In mild cases of deficiency anemia, proper nutrition allows you to restore hemoglobin levels and CP without the use of medications.
Iron-rich foods:
- meat by-products;
- red meat;
- green apples;
- buckwheat grain;
- grenades.
The absorption of iron improves with the simultaneous use of ascorbic acid. You should eat fresh vegetables and fruits, berries every day. Microelements and vitamins are destroyed during heat treatment. Vegetables, fruits and berries are best consumed raw.
Medications
If the color index is reduced to 0.6 or less, the nutrition will not be effective enough. Prescribed iron supplements:
- Sorbifer;
- Ferrum Lek;
- Maltofer;
- Ferro foil.
Medicines are available in the form of syrups for small children, tablets for older children and adults. There are combination preparations with additional content of ascorbic and folic acid. To improve absorption, ascorbic acid is prescribed additionally - if it is not in the drug.
The dosage and course of treatment are determined by the doctor, taking into account the tests. The minimum course of treatment is a month after restoration of hemoglobin and CP levels - a total of 1.5-2 months.
Calculation of blood color index
To calculate the color index of blood from the CBC, the content of hemoglobin and red blood cells is written out. In this case, the first three digits without a comma are taken from the number of red blood cells. The hemoglobin level is taken at the rate of grams per liter. This is the way to calculate CPU manually. Recording the result is only numbers, without a unit of measurement.
In modern laboratories, the color indicator of blood is calculated using analyzers. The result is measured in picograms, the norm is 27-33 pg. A more common way of writing it is grams per deciliter.
How to correctly calculate the color index of blood
To calculate the color index number, you need:
- red blood cell content - for example, 5.2 * 10 * 12 / liter, write down the first three digits, it turns out 520;
- hemoglobin level - 145 g/liter.
The formula for calculating the color indicator of blood is three times the amount of hemoglobin divided by the first three digits of the red blood cell level. You can calculate it on a calculator: 145 * 3 = 435. Now 435 needs to be divided by 520, it turns out 0.83. This is a normal blood color indicator.
Exceeding the norm of hemoglobin
If the blood color index is elevated, this means that red blood cells contain a lot of hemoglobin. Such cells are called megalocytes, their diameter is more than 8 microns. The condition occurs with a lack of vitamin B12. Red blood cells become large or lose their round shape.
Such anemia develops with atrophic gastritis, liver cirrhosis, parasitic diseases, and malnutrition. When calculating the color index, the result exceeds 1.1.
Decreased hemoglobin levels
A reduced color index of blood indicates a lack of hemoglobin in red blood cells. Such cells have a diameter of less than 6 microns and are called microcytes. A common cause of low hemoglobin is iron deficiency anemia. It develops when there is insufficient intake of iron from food or a violation of its absorption in the intestines. When counting CPU, the result is below 0.8.
There are anemias with normal hemoglobin, cirrhosis, but with a reduced number of red blood cells. This means that the person has kidney disease or has suffered acute blood loss.
Hemolytic anemias are predominantly normochromic, that is, with normal CP. In hemolytic anemia, red blood cells are destroyed faster than they should be. Causes include hereditary conditions, malaria, autoimmune diseases, and the presence of an artificial heart valve.
