Interpretation of general blood test mcv. MCV in blood tests: norms and possible causes of deviations. Reduced red blood cell volume

When taking a general blood test, many indicators are taken into account. It is with the help of these indicators that the doctor analyzes the patient’s condition and prescribes treatment. Among such indicators may be MCV. What is MCV in a blood test?

MCV in the analysis (without ESR) shows the number of red blood cells. It is also called the general erythrocyte index. Is this indicator important? Of course, since it is with its help that you can assess the general condition of red blood cells in the blood. Red blood cells are red blood cells. It is thanks to them that the blood acquires a red color. Their quantity significantly exceeds the content of other elements in the blood. The shape of the blood cells resembles a flat disk concave on both sides. Taurus do not have a nucleus.

So, the main functions of red blood cells:

• Thanks to these bodies, the blood acquires its red color.
• Contains hemoglobin, which transports air to all human organs.
• Maintains water-salt balance.
• Red blood cells also help maintain temperature in the human body.
• Provide some immune functions in the body.

Red blood cells play a fairly important role in the human body. That is why it is so important to monitor their quantity and periodically take a general blood test. The slightest changes in the content of red blood cells may indicate the onset of an inflammatory process or an allergic reaction.

To determine the number of red blood cells, a general (clinical) analysis is performed.

However, in some cases, patients are prescribed a special MCV blood test, which aims to determine the number of red blood cells. The meaning and interpretation of the MCV blood test is done by the attending physician. It is highly not recommended to do this yourself.

Analysis transcript

How to determine MCV in a blood test? To determine the number of red blood cells, the patient takes a clinical blood test. Blood cells have a constant composition, which is why, if their content changes sharply, the patient’s condition noticeably worsens.

How is the average red blood cell count determined? This indicator is calculated using a special formula:

MCV= ((%) hematocrit *10) : red blood cell content 106 µl

It is this formula that is used to calculate MCV in a blood test. What is the normal level of this indicator in the blood? The content of red blood cells depends on the age of the patient. Thus, we can say that the MCV level in the blood is different for everyone. Indicators vary especially strongly among children.

The average erythrocyte volume is normal in a child:

• less than 12 months – 71-112fl;
• from 1 year to 5 years – 73-86 fl;
• from 5 to 10 years – 75-87 fl;
• from 10 to 12 years – 76-94 fl;
• from 12 to 15 years – 74-95 fl.

Among women:

• from 15 to 18 years old – 78-98 fl;
• from 18 to 45 years old – 81-100 fl;
• from 45 to 65 years – 81-101 fl;
• over 65 years – 81-102 fl.

For men:

• from 15 to 18 years old – 79-98 fl;
• from 15 to 18 years old – 80-99 fl;
• from 45 to 65 years – 81-101 fl;
• over 65 years –81-103 fl.

These are the MCV values ​​that are considered normal. Any deviations from the norm may indicate the onset of an inflammatory or infectious process in the body.

Decreased performance

What does a reduced average volume of red blood cells in the blood indicate? If the MCV in the blood test decreases to 75 fL, then this may indicate the presence of anemia in the patient. However, there is no need to be afraid in advance. Decoding the MCV is the responsibility of the attending physician. The reasons for low MCV can be varied.

MCV reduced – reasons:

• Changes in water-salt balance in the body.
• Hypertensive dehydration (high level of fluid deficiency). May occur due to insufficient consumption of water and other liquids.
• MCV in blood tests is reduced when anemia occurs. Anemia – anemia.
• A disease in which hemoglobin synthesis in the body is disrupted.
• Low iron content in the body.
• Use of certain medications.

Most often, a decrease in MCV levels occurs due to anemia. Leukemia can occur for many reasons. Among them: problems with the gastrointestinal tract, chronic diseases in which blood loss is observed, pregnancy, the effects of various infections, lack of iron in the body. If the average volume of red blood cells is reduced, then consultation with your doctor is necessary.

Anti-MCV shows the amount of antibodies. Anti-MCV can be determined using a biochemical test. Identifying antibodies will help prevent the development of rheumatoid arthritis. These elements may arise several years before the disease begins to develop.

If the level of the average number of red blood cells is below normal in children, this may indicate the development of anemia. Children react especially acutely to this disease.

Symptoms of anemia in children:

• Lethargy.
• Decreased activity.
• Refusal of games and communication.
• Dyspnea.
• Frequent vomiting.
• Swelling.
• Body weight does not change in any way for a long time.

Increased values

What does increased red blood cell volume mean? The average volume of red blood cells is increased if the patient has a deficiency of vitamin B. Most often it is B12.

MCV is elevated – reasons:

• Use of tobacco products.
• Taking hormonal contraceptives.
• Alcohol abuse.
• For diseases of the endocrine system - myxedema.
• Liver diseases.
• Diseases of the organ that reproduces blood - the bone marrow.
• Taking antidepressants.
• Anemia.
• Disorders of the pancreas.
• Intoxication of the body.

It is for these reasons that the level of red blood cells increases. By taking an MCV test, you can identify the development of alcoholism at an early stage. Clinical tests should be performed periodically to monitor MCV levels. Diseases identified at an early stage are much easier to cure than advanced ones.

So, MCV is the average volume of red blood cells. It can be either reduced or increased. Normal indicatorsMCVdepend on the patient's age. Red blood cells decrease due to the development of anemia, the use of certain drugs, and changes in the balance of water in the body. Increased average red blood cell volume occurs due to the use of alcohol and tobacco products. Increased MCV levels often occur in women when taking hormonal contraceptives. To monitor MC, you should take a general blood test.

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Having heard from a doctor that the average volume of red blood cells is low, the parents of a sick child or an adult patient wonder what it is. The technique for conducting such an analysis has appeared recently.

Normal values

The complete blood count contains the MCV value, or the mean volume of red blood cells in the blood. If the MCV is low, then the size of the red blood cells is lower than normal.

Doctors judge the normality or decrease in the volume of red blood cells rather arbitrarily. The size of the red blood cell changes even during the day due to physiological reasons: after work, a tired person’s blood cells increase in size, and after rest they become smaller. At 8 o'clock in the morning, when most tests are carried out, the size and volume of the bodies reaches a minimum.

The volume of red blood cells and their size in an adult are determined in femtoliters (fl) or µm³. Normal values ​​change throughout life. In middle age (40-59 years) they range from 80-100 fl for women and 81-94 fl for men. Indicators in younger patients differ slightly (a little more), so 80 fl is most often taken as the average norm. In men over 65 years of age, the normal value can range from 78-103 fl.

Red blood cells with normal volume are called normocytes, and those with low and high volume are called micro- and macrocytes, respectively. The size of the cells is regulated by the body itself depending on their number in the blood: if there are a lot of red blood cells, then the MCV is lower.

How often do you get your blood tested?

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Only as prescribed by the attending physician 30%, 949 votes

Once a year and I think that’s enough 18%, 554 vote

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More than twice a year but less than six times 11%, 344 vote

I take care of my health and donate once a month 6%, 197 votes

I'm afraid of this procedure and try not to pass 4%, 135 votes

21.10.2019

Normal for a child

In the first month of life in children, the normal size of a red blood cell is more than 105 fl. By six months this value drops to 90, and by 1 year - to 78-80 fl. This is a normal physiological process during which fetal hemoglobin is replaced with the new one that adults have. At 5-12 years of age, the average volume indicators again increase slightly (up to 89 units), but by the age of 18 they reach the adult norm.

Why is MCV lowered?

If the MCV indicator in a blood test is low (does not reach the required 80 fl), most often this indicates that the child or adult is developing some form of anemia, that is, a lack of hemoglobin in red blood cells. Thanks to the compensatory properties of blood, the number of red blood cells themselves can increase, but all of them will poorly supply oxygen to the tissues and organs of a sick person.

The reasons for the decrease in the average volume of red blood cells may be the following conditions and pathologies.

The average volume of red blood cells is one of the indicators of a general clinical blood test, which displays the number and size of red blood cells, which indicates the state of health of the body. This laboratory value is abbreviated MCV.

The average volume of red blood cells can be either reduced or increased, which very often has a pathological basis. Only certain physiological circumstances lead to such a disorder.

Any changes in the average volume (below or above normal) lead to the expression of some clinical signs, but they can be masked as symptoms of the underlying disorder. The main symptoms are weakness and constant drowsiness, pale skin and decreased blood pressure.

The average volume of red blood cells in the blood is determined only after the hematologist deciphers the data from a general analysis of this biological fluid. To identify the causes of deviations from the norm, a comprehensive examination of the patient will be required.

Correction of this parameter is achieved using conservative means, however, it is not possible to completely get rid of the problem without neutralizing the underlying disease.

Normal values

The average volume of red blood cells normally depends on several parameters, namely: the gender and age category of the person. The units of measurement for this value are femtoliters (fl) or cubic micrometers (µm^3).

It is very important to consider that in a child under the age of 10 years, such an index may fluctuate slightly in any direction, which is considered quite normal. Most often, the parameter stabilizes and coincides with the above values ​​by the age of 15.

Reasons for deviations from the norm

The average volume of red blood cells in children or adults may fluctuate up or down, which in any case indicates the occurrence of some pathological process.

For example, when the mean red blood cell volume is elevated, a person may be diagnosed with one of the following:

• severe poisoning from chemicals or poor-quality food;
• thyroid dysfunction and other pathologies of the endocrine system;
• deficiency of iodine or iron in the body;
• reticulocytosis;
• liver pathologies, in particular hepatitis and cirrhosis;
• cancer of the bone marrow;
• celiac disease;
• DiGuglielmo's disease;
• hypothyroidism;
• hyperglycemia;
• infection or inflammation in the pancreas;
• myelodysplastic syndrome;
• chronic liver failure.

If mcv is elevated, then this does not always indicate the course of the disease, for example, among the less harmless sources are:

• sedentary lifestyle;
• poor nutrition;
• uncontrolled use of medications;
• long-term addiction to bad habits;
• specific working conditions, for example, under which a person is forced to constantly come into contact with toxins;
• hormonal imbalance that develops during menstruation or pregnancy.

If a general clinical blood test shows that the average volume of red blood cells is reduced, this may indicate:

• various types of anemia;
• formation of malignant neoplasms;
• heavy metal intoxication;
• thalassemia;
• leukemia;
• heavy blood loss;
• metastasis of malignant tumors;
• porphyria;
• autoimmune diseases.

Also, the indicator can be reduced due to abuse of the following medications:

• "Isoniazid";
• "Colchicine";
• "Metformin";
• "Phenacetin";
• "Trimethoprim";
• "Methotrexate";
• "Pyrimethamine";
• "Triamterene";
• "Glutethimide";
• mefenamic acid;
• estrogens;
• oral contraceptives;
• nitrofurans;
• anticonvulsants;
• aminosalicylic acid.

In some situations, the average volume of red blood cells mcv remains within the normal range, but a person may experience:

• normocytic anemia;
• hemoglobinopathy;
• pathologies of the hematopoietic system;
• hypogonadism;
• hypopituitarism;
• hypoadrenalism;
• hypothyroidism;
• chronic infectious processes;
• uremia.

Symptoms

Since the average volume of red blood cells in a child or an adult can decrease and increase, any deviation will have characteristic external manifestations. However, they can go completely unnoticed by a person or be masked by the symptoms of the underlying pathology.

If the volume is increased, this may be indicated by:

• excessive pallor of the skin and lips;
• frequent occurrence of pain in the abdominal area;
• increased heart rate;
• yellowness of the skin of varying degrees of severity;
• aversion to food;
• severe weakness and fatigue.

When the average red blood cell volume is low, a person may complain of:

• constant drowsiness;
• significant decrease in performance;
• cold sweat;
• cold skin;
• decreased blood tone;
• lethargy and slowness of movements;
• fainting state;
• increased heart rate;
• emotional insufficiency.

Such external manifestations should be an impetus for immediately seeking qualified help. It is worth noting that in children some symptoms may be much more pronounced than in adults.

Diagnostics

The volume of red blood cells is assessed during a general clinical analysis of the main biological fluid of the human body. For such a study, venous or capillary blood may be needed.

As for preparation for the analysis, it is limited to refusing to eat on the day of visiting the medical facility. Otherwise, the results will be false, which may require repeat blood donation.

In situations where the analysis showed that mcv is low or above normal, the provocateur of such changes should be identified. This will require a comprehensive examination of the body, which is individual in nature.

Primary diagnostic measures, common to all, are:

• familiarization with the medical history;
• collection and analysis of life or family history;
• assessment of the condition of the skin;
• measurement of blood tone and heart rate values;
• a detailed survey of the patient so that the clinician obtains a complete picture regarding the course of a particular disorder.

In addition, the following may be prescribed:

• specific laboratory tests;
• a wide range of instrumental procedures;
• consultations with specialists from various fields of medicine.

Treatment

The normal average volume of red blood cells can be restored only after the underlying disorder has been eliminated. In some cases, for correction it is enough:

• to refuse from bad habits;
• reconsider food preferences;
• Do not take medications for no apparent reason or without a doctor’s prescription.

In other situations, you should completely get rid of the underlying disorder, which can be done with the help of:

• taking medications;
• physiotherapeutic procedures;
• diet therapy;
• the use of non-traditional treatment methods;
• surgical intervention.

Treatment tactics are selected individually for each person in accordance with the mechanism of development of a violation of the average volume of red blood cells.

Possible complications

If the average volume of red blood cells is below normal, this can lead to the development of:

• anemia;
• heavy blood loss;
• dysfunction of the bone marrow;
• premature labor.

When this parameter is elevated, the likelihood of blood clots increases significantly.

Prevention and prognosis

To ensure that women, men and children do not have problems with an increase or decrease in the average volume of red blood cells, it is necessary to adhere to the following simple preventive rules:

• complete cessation of bad habits;
• frequent exposure to fresh air;
• balanced diet;
• taking only those medications prescribed by the clinician;
• maintaining a moderately active lifestyle;
• use of personal protective equipment when working with toxins, chemicals and poisons;
• annual complete examination at the clinic with visits to all doctors.

The prognosis is dictated by the pathological provocateur that provoked any deviation from the norm. Patients should not forget that, in addition to the above consequences, each basic pathology can lead to the development of its own complications.

An indicator such as MCV in a blood test was not always available to the practicing physician. Its study became possible with the widespread introduction of hardware testing methods, and it is automatically issued when a certain amount of blood is loaded into a biochemical analyzer.

Previously, throughout almost the entire 20th century, the MCV indicator was not taken into account in blood tests, since such methods did not exist. It was only possible to estimate the size of red blood cells under a microscope, which was labor-intensive and subjective. Of course, when deciphering the blood test, doctors necessarily took into account the size of the blood cells, but it was impossible to estimate this indicator - the average volume of red blood cells - for each blood cell.

MCV in blood test - what is it?

MCV in a blood test, or mean red blood cell volume, is an average that more or less likely reflects the volume of a red blood cell. It does not have high information content and cannot accurately indicate what pathological processes are occurring in the body. Translated from English, MCV in a blood test, or Mean Cell Volume, means the average volume of a red blood cell.

This indicator belongs to the so-called erythrocyte indices; these indices allow you to determine the main characteristics of red blood cells. These indices also include such well-known studies as the determination of the average hemoglobin content in a cell, which has now replaced the routine determination of the color index.

Of course, if we take each individual blood transport cell, we will see that its volume is within the range quite close to this value, since the average volume of red blood cells is the median value. There are necessary conditions under which the results of this analysis can be accepted as true, namely: with normal, mature red cells with approximately the same volume.

In the event that a general blood test is represented by red blood cells of different shapes or sizes, that is, in the presence of a, then an indicator such as an mcv analysis will have very low value, since the average volume of red blood cells cannot be calculated reliably. This analysis in laboratory practice can be used for differential diagnosis and will help identify the causes of deviations.

It should be said that cellular red indices can only speak about red blood: the iron content in the patient’s body and the presence or absence of hypoxia of organs and tissues. The average volume of erythrocytes - MCV, does not tell us anything about leukocytes, blood coagulation, platelets, and it is not even possible to evaluate some simple indicators, for example, using this index.

Reference or normal values

Normally, in men and women, on average, it is 80 fl, or femtoliters. This is a very small value that is never used in our everyday practice. For comparison, we can indicate that this volume is the same number of times smaller than a drop of water, how many times a drop of water is smaller than a full tank in the form of a cube with a side of 5 meters, a volume of 125 cubic meters, the water in which weighs 125 tons.

If we talk about age-related changes, then the largest cell sizes, and, consequently, their volume, exist in newborns and in children in the first month of life. At this time, red blood cells are finally freed from fetal hemoglobin and switch to new hemoglobin.

Normal adult hemoglobin works more efficiently during air gas exchange in the lungs, and a red blood cell with a smaller volume is able to perform the same full function. Also in old age, and even starting from the age of 45, our oxygen carriers have a large volume. Therefore, it is possible to construct a certain curve, where the norm of the average volume of red blood cells in adults is slightly lower than at extreme age limits.

Normal values ​​for children are shown in the following table:

Then the decline begins to level out, and children from 10 to 12 years old have general indices from 76 to 90 fl. We have already mentioned the normal level of average red blood cell volume in adults, and detailed information can be found in any laboratory reference book. It is only worth mentioning that the level of hormones and sexual dimorphism makes a small difference, but not more than 1% of the existing values.

In adulthood and old age, the MCV index in a blood test rises again. This indicates a compensatory adaptation of red blood to the existing processes of atherosclerosis, increasing hypoxia, the appearance of chronic nonspecific lung diseases and a general decrease in the respiratory surface of the alveoli. The average value for those 65 years and older is from 82 to 102 fl.

Some reasons for lower and higher values

Reduced values

Let's consider under what conditions the MCV norm can be violated, and what are the possible causes of deviations, what can they tell the doctor and laboratory assistant about the state of human health?

First of all, you need to understand that low values, at which the indicator is below 80 fL, can be clearly interpreted as a disease, since there is not enough hemoglobin in the red blood cell. In the same case, if the volume increases, this does not always indicate a disease; it may be, as in the case of the age norm, a compensatory reaction to changed living conditions.

The main reasons for the decrease in values ​​are:

• iron deficiency anemia, in which there is a lack of iron in the body;
• secondary chronic diseases leading to anemia: pathology of both red bone marrow and the presence of chronic blood loss, for example, with dysfunctional uterine bleeding;
• hereditary blood diseases - thalassemia, hemoglobinopathies;
• hyperthyroidism.

It is on the basis of this index that a blood test suggests the classification of anemia into normocytic, macrocytic and microcytic. Here we are talking about hypochromia of erythrocytes. The laboratory doctor no longer has to tediously examine a smear under a microscope and visually compare the cell size with standard values. When the volume of red blood cells decreases, microcytosis occurs, which is recorded by the device.

Increased values

An increase in MCV, in which red cells have a volume of more than 100 fl in adults, and more than 105 fl in the elderly, occurs for the following reasons:

• decreased thyroid function, hypothyroidism or myxedema;
• chronic diseases of the liver and gastrointestinal tract, leading to the development of folate deficiency anemia;
• aplastic anemia and similar bone marrow damage, for example in cancer patients, as well as in patients on immunosuppressive therapy;
• B-12 deficiency anemia leading to megaloblasts - increased blood cell size;
• various types of autoimmune anemia.

Finally, a long history of smoking and drinking alcohol also leads to endogenous intoxication and vitamin deficiency, which can manifest itself as macrocytosis, that is, an increase in the size and average volume of red blood cells. In this case, there may also be changes in the level of red blood cells downward, or anemia may develop.

Do not think that anemia is manifested only by a decrease in cell volume. Anemia is an insidious group of diseases of different etiologies and different mechanisms of origin, but they have one thing in common: in any case, they are manifested by chronic hypoxia of organs and tissues.

In conclusion, it should be noted that in case of acute anemia, determining the above-described indices does not make sense, due to the lack of information content. After all, during acute bleeding, neither the volume nor the shape of the red blood cell will change. The study of this indicator allows us to identify only chronic diseases in which the production of healthy red blood cells is somehow impaired, and there may be no symptoms.

MCV in the blood test of adults and children stands for “mean erythrocyte volume.” This value is one of the red blood cell indices, by which doctors can judge the condition of red blood cells. If the decoding of the blood test showed that this indicator is reduced or increased, this may indicate anemia, inflammation, tumor, or deficiency of micro- and macroelements in the body.

The MCV value is determined during a general blood test, and if the study shows that the values ​​deviate from the norm, the doctor will refer you for further examination. This is necessary to find out the reason for the deviation in the average volume of red blood cells and, if necessary, prescribe treatment.

Erythrocytes are the formed elements of blood, which are also known as red blood cells. Some call them blood cells, but this is not a completely correct interpretation, since they lose their nuclei at a certain stage of development and enter the blood without them.

In their structure, red blood cells contain a complex protein hemoglobin, which includes iron O. It easily picks up oxygen in the lungs and transports it to the cells. Then the iron breaks up with it, takes carbon dioxide from the tissues, carries it to the lungs, after which the carbon dioxide comes out.

The lifespan of red blood cells is about four months; they are destroyed mainly in the spleen. Then they convert bilirubin into a toxic substance, which is sent for processing to the liver. Then this element passes into bile, participates in the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, and is excreted through the kidneys with urine or through the intestines.

Need to know

A general or clinical blood test allows you to calculate the following indicators of red blood cells:

• MCV – mean erythrocyte volume;
• MCH or color indicator - allows you to find out the average hemoglobin content in each individual red blood cell;
• MCHC - allows you to find out the average amount of hemoglobin contained in all human red blood cells;
• hematocrit (Ht or HCT) – the volume of red blood cells in the blood (measured as a percentage).

Sometimes your doctor will order an anti-MCV test. You should know that this study has nothing special to do with the study of red blood cells. Anti-MCV stands for anti-citrullinated vimentin antibody. This is the name of one of the proteins that is used to detect rheumatoid arthritis.

An increase in the anti-MCV value in the blood is observed ten to fifteen years before the first signs of the disease appear. Therefore, if the interpretation of the blood test shows that anti-MCV is increased, this means that the rheumatologist must definitely take into account the increase in the indicator.

In this case, the patient must regularly donate blood to test the level of anti-MCV, as well as undergo other examinations: knowledge only that this indicator has deviated from the norm is not a reason for a final diagnosis. At the same time, information about the level of anti-MCV allows timely initiation of treatment for the disease, which will slow down the progression of the disease and reduce the likelihood of developing side effects that can be caused by drugs.

How much MCV should be in the blood?

The average red blood cell volume in adults and children is measured in femtoliters (fl) or cubic micrometers (µm). Most laboratories have hematology analyzers that calculate the required value. The MCV value can also be calculated manually using a special formula.

The average volume of red blood cells in the blood of adults and children should fluctuate within the following limits (these values ​​may be different depending on the laboratory, so be sure to listen to the doctor’s verdict):

If the transcript shows deviations of the MCV in the blood test from the norm, you should not immediately panic. This indicator in adults and children can be increased or decreased for various reasons, and not always pathological: sometimes it can be a simple error in calculations. But you will need to retake a general blood test and, if necessary, undergo other examinations.

Reasons for rejection

The condition when the average volume of red blood cells is reduced is called microcytosis. The cause may be dehydration in an adult or child due to insufficient water intake or loss of fluid from the body (vomiting, diarrhea).

The MCV value in a blood test will be reduced if the amount of hemoglobin in the blood is low. Also, a state where MCV is reduced is recorded in anemia, which is caused by a violation of hemoglobin formation. The following reasons may influence its development:

• blood iron deficiency;
• chronic diseases;
• some hereditary diseases;
• malignant tumors;
• lead poisoning;
• some types of medicines;
• alcoholism;
• thalassemia (decreased synthesis of one of the hemoglobin chains).

MCV is increased to a small extent in smokers, as well as in women who take contraceptive medications. The reason that this indicator is elevated may be alcohol abuse. This process is reversible: a few weeks after a person stops drinking alcohol, deciphering the results will show normal values.

Also, the average volume of red blood cells in adults and children may be increased in the following situations:

• megaloblastic anemia;
• pernicious anemia;
• hypothyroidism (the thyroid gland synthesizes hormones in insufficient quantities);
• liver diseases;
• intestinal problems;
• decreased activity of the pancreas;
• diseases of the red brain, which is responsible for the production of red blood cells;
• poisoning.

Deciphering the analysis may show that increased MCV levels in adults and children are also possible due to a lack of vitamins B12 and B9 in the body. In this case, the doctor prescribes a vitamin-mineral complex and recommends an appropriate diet.

Preparation for the procedure

Considering that the average volume of red blood cells in an adult and a child can be reduced or increased for various reasons, the doctor will prescribe treatment based on the characteristics of the disease. It should be borne in mind that data from a blood test alone, and especially one of its indicators, is not enough to make a correct diagnosis. Therefore, if the test results are poor, the doctor will order the patient to donate blood again, and if the numbers are confirmed, he will refer him for further examination.

Therefore, it is very important to properly prepare for a clinical blood test. The rules in this case are not as strict as for biochemical, serological (eg, determination of anti-MCV) or other plasma studies, but they must also be followed.

For this reason, two to three days before donating blood, you should stop drinking alcohol. This is explained by the fact that ethanol causes red blood cells to stick together, causing them to form blood clots, thicken the blood, and poison organs and tissues. Therefore, the results will be unreliable.

The day before the procedure, it is advisable to avoid fatty, fried, smoked and other foods that are difficult for the stomach. Since blood is usually taken for analysis in the morning, the time between breakfast and the procedure should be at least two hours. Drink only still water in the morning.

It is not advisable to smoke three hours before the procedure: nicotine increases MCV levels. It is better to avoid exercise, jogging, other types of training, and heavy lifting in the morning before the procedure. It is also advisable not to be nervous and avoid stress.

Before entering the treatment room, you need to sit for a while so that the blood, heated from walking, begins to flow more calmly. Blood for analysis is usually taken from a finger prick, and the results are ready the next day.