SCREENING OF ROUTINE PERIPHERAL SMEAR FOR HYPER SEGMENTED NEUTROPHILS, AN INDICATOR OF MEGALOBLASTIC ANEMIA.

Dr. I. Vijaysathishkumar; Dr.V.Dhamodharan; Dr.S.Ravi; Mr.ArunSrinivasan

Volume : V, Issue : V, May - 2016

SCREENING OF ROUTINE PERIPHERAL SMEAR FOR HYPER SEGMENTED NEUTROPHILS, AN INDICATOR OF MEGALOBLASTIC ANEMIA.

Dr. I. Vijaysathishkumar, Dr. V. Dhamodharan, Dr. S. Ravi, Mr. Arunsrinivasan

Abstract :

Background: Screening of hypersegmented neutrophil in blood smear is a cost effective alternative to vitamin B12 assay in megaloblastic anemia and is seen before changes in Hemoglobin and MCV occurs. Aim and objective: The objective is to screen blood smear for the hyper segmented neutrophils as it is the earliest sign in Vitamin B12 deficiency. Method and Material: 2000 smears were studied at pathology department, Chengalpattu Medical College, during June to December 2015, and the results were compared with vitamin B12 levels. The smears were stained with Leishman�s stain and 150 neutrophils per slide were screened for Hypersegmented Neutrophils. Observation and Results: About 17% of the screened population had Hypersegmented Neutrophils. 15.7 % of antenatal mothers, 26.6% of geriatric population and 4.7% of children had Hypersegmented Neutrophils.