Macrocytosis

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Macrocytosis Classification and external resources
ICD-10	D75.8
ICD-9	289.89
DiseasesDB	7688
eMedicine	med/1381

Macrocytosis is the enlargement of red blood cells with near-constant haemoglobin concentration, and is defined by a mean corpuscular volume (MCV) of greater than 100 femtolitres (the precise criterion varies between laboratories).

[edit] Causes

Most commonly (especially when the increase in size is mild, and just above normal range) the etiology is bone marrow dysplasia primary to alcohol abuse. Other causes may include:

• Megaloblastosis (Vitamin B12 or folate deficiency; or DNA synthesis-inbiting drugs)
• hypothyroidism
• reticulocytosis (commonly from hemolysis or a recent history of blood loss).
• liver disease
• myeloproliferative disease

[edit] Complications

No complications arise from macrocytosis itself and a prognosis will be determined from its aetiology.