“CORRELATION OF PERIPHERAL BLOOD SMEARS FINDINGS WITH CBC HISTOGRAMS IN DIAGNOSIS OF ANEMIA IN 15-49 YEARS AGE GROUP’’

Abstract

Anemia is a common hematological disorder with varied etiology and morphological patterns. Accurate diagnosis is crucial for appropriate management. This study aimed to correlate peripheral blood smear (PBS) findings with CBC histograms to enhance diagnostic accuracy in anemic patients aged 15–49 years.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 255 patients presenting with anemia at a tertiary care center. CBC parameters including hemoglobin levels, red blood cell indices (MCV, MCH, MCHC and RDW) and histograms were obtained using an automated hematology analyzer. Peripheral blood smears were reviewed microscopically for red cell morphology including poikilocytosis and these findings were correlated with histogram patterns including flags and categorized into types of anemia (microcytic, normocytic, and macrocytic).

Results: Among the 255 cases, microcytic anemia was the most prevalent with 96 cases (37.6%) followed by macrocytic 91 cases (35.6%) and normocytic 68 cases (26.6%). A significant correlation (p < 0.01) was observed between histogram patterns and PBS findings. Microcytic hypochromic anemia showed left-shifted RBC histograms with prominent peaks while macrocytic anemia exhibited right-shifted histograms with broad bases. Normocytic anemia demonstrated normal or slightly altered histogram curves. Correlation was strongest in microcytic anemia (r = 0.81) suggesting a reliable relationship between histogram features and smear morphology.

Conclusion: CBC histograms when interpreted along with peripheral smear findings provide a rapid, cost-effective, and reliable approach for the morphological classification of anemia. This correlation helps the pathologist to diagnose the anemia more confidently and accurately.