The retic count blood test is ordered to measure the amount of reticulocytes that are being made by a person’s bone marrow. Reticulocytes are red blood cells that are still in their infancy stage. They stay as immature red blood cells for about 48 hours before turning into mature red blood cells that transport oxygen throughout the body.
The count of reticulocytes will rise when someone experiences blood loss. It also rises when there is the presence of a disease, such as hemolytic anemia, where the mature red blood cells are destroyed before they can get to work. Something as simple as living at a high altitude, however, can also raise the results that a retic count blood test will find.
Why Is the Retic Count Blood Test Ordered?
Doctors have three primary reasons for ordering this blood test.
1. To look for evidence that anemia is present because of fewer red blood cells being created or to locate the possibility of a loss of red blood cells somewhere in the body.
2. To determine if a person’s bone marrow is sufficiently working to create red blood cells.
3. To discover if a treatment plan is successfully working to reverse high or low reticulocyte counts.
If the retic count blood test has been ordered, then there is nothing that needs to be done before the test. It is possible to have the blood draw for this test performed on the same day that the doctor orders it. Most patients will have the draw site be their elbow or the back of the hand. Put pressure on the draw site after the procedure has been completed to reduce bruising.
It generally takes about 24 hours for the test results to be ready. Children can be especially apprehensive about this particular blood test, not because of the results, but because of the procedure to collect the blood. Allow children to ask questions and encourage them to relax as best as they can. Tensing muscles or movement can affect the blood draw and make the procedure more painful.
What Do the Results of This Blood Test Mean?
Newborns are commonly given the retic count blood test to determine if there is an underlying genetic condition or disease present that is affecting their bone marrow. A normal reticulocyte count for infants is between 3-6%. For adults, a normal result would be between 0.5%-1.5%. If there are normal results, then there are no further issues to worry about from this blood test.
If the results are higher than normal, then it may mean that more red blood cells are being made by the bone marrow for some reason. If a person has recently experienced a severe bleeding injury, then the reticulocyte counts will likely be high. It is also high if a person is being treated for deficiencies in folic acid, iron deficiency, or pernicious anemia if the treatments are starting to work.
Lower than normal values may indicate that a person has been exposed to radiation. Certain medicines that some patients take are known to damage the bone marrow and a lower than normal count would be indicated because of this. Having anemia or certain vitamin deficiencies can also cause low results. Patients that have a chronic infection may also see lower than normal counts.
Do Any Changes Need To Be Made?
Most people will have the retic count blood test ordered to determine the effectiveness of medication that is being used. Infants may have the test ordered as part of an initial screening. The medications that cause abnormal results are generally ordered to treat cancer, malaria, Parkinson’s disease, or rheumatoid arthritis. The abnormal results are usually less important than the benefits of the medication and so the test is used to determine overall health.
Sometimes an abnormal result can also be an indicator that a woman is pregnant. Certain sulfonamide antibiotics can also affect the counts, as can a recent blood transfusion.
If your doctor is concerned about the retic count blood test results, then a bone marrow biopsy may be ordered. This biopsy will definitively determine if there is an issue within the bone marrow that is causing the problem. Most abnormal results are caused by dietary or environmental deficiencies, so resolving those issues will return reticulocyte counts back to normal.
Make sure to set an appointment with your doctor if you have additional questions about your specific results.