CUE PCV PCV also known as Hematocrit (or) Erythrocyte volume fract (EVF) It is the volume occupied by Erythrocytes in the given volume of blood and is usually expressed as percentage (%) of the volume of the whole blood sample. The percentage by volume of packed red blood cells in a given sample of blood after centrifugation HCT measures the volume of packed red blood cells (RBC) relative to whole blood. Hematocrit is derived from Greek words ‘Haima’ meaning blood ‘krites’ meaning to separate. Together Hematocrit means ‘to separate blood’.METHODS 1. Macro-hematocrit Method - Wintrobe tube 2. Micro-hematocrit Method - micro-hematocrit centrifuge 3. Electrical method 4. Indirect method CUMACRO-HEMATOCRIT METHOD (WINTROBE TUBE) PRINCIPLE: “* Anticoagulant mixed blood is filled in a tube and centrifuged. ** Cells settle down towards the bottom because of their greater density leaving the clear plasma on upper side. CUAPPARATUS REQUIRED: 1. Wintrobes tube - v¥ Itis 110mm long, narrow, thick walled tube with 3mm internal bore. v Graduated from 0 to 10 cm with graduation on both sides in ascending and descending order on 2 sides of tube v Scale with the markings from 0 to 10 from above downwards is used in ESR determination and from below upwards is used for PCV determination 2. Pasteur pipette 3. Centrifuge CueSTRUCTURE OF BLOOD Plasma = || | Buffy coat Besnetberie =i Normal Blood Anemia —_Polycythemia CueTop layer — Plasma (48 - 52%) Normally amber or pale yellow colour yellow — jaundice Pink or red colour indicates — hemolysis Creamy white — hyperlipidemia Brown coloured — meth hemoglobinemia Cloudy (increased viscosity) — Multiple myeloma Intermediate zone — Buffy coat — Zone of platelets and leukocytes (2% - 3% or Imm thick)Greyish — white tan layer Smears prepared from buffy coat can be used to diagnose Sub leukemic leukemia LE cells Detection of plasma cells PT HemoparasitesLower most zone or bottom layer — Zone of packed RBC’s (45% — 50%) Normal PCV Males = 40 -50% Females 37 — 47% New born — 55 - 60% Clinical implications of PCV PCV is affected by the number of RBC’s, their size and plasma volume High PCV - increased number of RBC’s Increase in size of RBC Decrease in plasma volume Low PCV Decrease in number of RBC’s Decrease in size of RBC Peer Increase in plasma volume