• Annemarie Schop, Karlijn Stouten, Jürgen A Riedl, Ron J van Houten, LeeningMaarten J GMJGDepartment of Epidemiology and Cardiology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands., BindelsPatrick J EPJEDepartment of General Practice, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, The Netherlands., and Mark-David Levin.
• Department of Internal Medicine, Albert Schweitzer Hospital, Dordrecht, The Netherlands.
• Fam Pract. 2021 Nov 24; 38 (6): 735-739.

BackgroundAnemia can be categorized into micro-, normo- or macrocytic anemia based on the mean corpuscular volume (MCV). This categorization might help to define the etiology of anemia.MethodsThe cohort consisted of patients newly diagnosed with anaemia in primary care. Seven aetiologies of anaemia were defined, based on an extensive laboratory protocol. Two assumptions were tested: (i) MCV <80 fl (microcytic) excludes vitamin B12 deficiency, folic acid deficiency, suspected haemolysis and suspected bone marrow disease as anaemia aetiology. (ii) MCV >100 fl (macrocytic) excludes iron deficiency anaemia, anaemia of chronic disease and renal anaemia as anaemia aetiology.ResultsData of 4129 patients were analysed. One anaemia aetiology could be assigned to 2422 (59%) patients, more than one anaemia aetiology to 888 (22%) patients and uncertainty regarding the aetiology remained in 819 (20%) patients. MCV values were within the normal range in 3505 patients (85%). In 59 of 365 microcytic patients (16%), the anaemia aetiology was not in accordance with the first assumption. In 233 of 259 macrocytic patients (90%), the anaemia aetiology was not in accordance with the second assumption.ConclusionsAnaemia aetiologies might be ruled out incorrectly if MCV guided classification is used as a first step in the diagnostic work-up of anaemia. We recommend using a broader set of laboratory tests, independent of MCV.© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

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