PMID: 9543916Apr 17, 1998Paper

Hemoglobin and hematocrit: an analysis of clinical accuracy. Case study of the anemic patient

ANNA Journal
M L Keen

Abstract

Hemoglobin (Hgb) and hematocrit (Hct) are often used interchangeably to evaluate anemia in dialysis patients. Hgb is the preferred method in most European countries, while Hct is generally used by clinicians in the United States. This article examines the comparative accuracy of these two values, including a same-patient assessment of laboratory samples. These data illustrate that Hgb is a more accurate method of assessing anemia. Using Hgb may help nurses and patients by: (a) decreasing variability in laboratory assessment, (b) avoiding ongoing errors in anemia measurement, (c) decreasing the nursing time spent on anemia management, and (d) increasing the potential for patients remaining in the recommended DOQI target Hgb range of 11 g/dL to 12 g/dL.

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Anemia

Anemia develops when your blood lacks enough healthy red blood cells. Anemia of inflammation (AI, also called anemia of chronic disease) is a common, typically normocytic, normochromic anemia that is caused by an underlying inflammatory disease. Here is the latest research on anemia.