Question

which blood test can indicate pernicious anemia?

Answer 1

Laboratory diagnostic tests for pernecious anemia:(usually couple of tests):::

A complete blood count (CBC) and differential. In pernicious anemia, other causes of vitamin B12 deficiency, or folate deficiency, these usually reveal:

• Hb test:A low hemoglobin level

• Red cell indices—the mean corpuscular volume (MCV), which is the average size of RBCs, is high. Mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) is also high, but mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) is typically normal.
• A blood smear will reveal RBCs that are abnormally large and oval-shaped.
• The numbers of neutrophils (a type of white blood cell) and platelets may also be decreased.

Additional tests are usually done to make the diagnosis. Some of these include:

• Vitamin B12 level:—blood level may be low when deficient in B12
• Folic acid level —blood level may be low if deficient in this B vitamin
• Methylmalonic acid (MMA)—may be high with vitamin B12 deficiency
• Homocysteine—may be high with either folate or vitamin B deficiency
• Reticulocyte count—the number of young RBCs, or reticulocytes, is low
• Antibodies against intrinsic factor and/or parietal cell —may be present in pernicious anemia

Sometimes a bone marrow aspiration or biopsy may be performed to see if the marrow appearance is consistent with megaloblastic anemia and to rule out other bone marrow disorders that may also cause anemia with larger RBCs.