Question

you perform a blood smear on a patient and macrocytes are found. this indicates what?
a) thalassemia
b) chronic iron deficiency
c) hereditary spherocytosis
d) folate deficiency

Explanation:

• Thalassemia: Usually causes microcytosis (smaller - than - normal red blood cells), not macrocytosis.
• Chronic iron deficiency: Leads to microcytic (small), hypochromic (pale) red blood cells, not macrocytic.
• Hereditary spherocytosis: Characterized by spherical - shaped red blood cells (spherocytes), which are usually normocytic (normal - sized) or slightly microcytic in some cases, not macrocytic.
• Folate deficiency: Folate (vitamin B9) is essential for DNA synthesis. In folate deficiency, red blood cell precursors (erythroblasts) in the bone marrow have impaired DNA synthesis. As a result, the red blood cells are unable to divide properly and mature, leading to the production of larger - than - normal red blood cells (macrocytes).

Answer:

d) Folate deficiency