Reticulocyte count

Normal values:

0.5% to 2%

What abnormal results mean:

A greater-than-normal percentage of reticulocytes may indicate:

• erythroblastosis fetalis
• hemolytic anemia
• leukemia
• post-hemorrhage (bleeding)
• post-splenectomy (surgical removal of the spleen)
• kidney disease with increased erythropoietin production

A lower-than-normal percentage of reticulocytes may indicate:

• bone marrow failure (for example, from toxicity, tumor, fibrosis)
• cirrhosis of the liver
• folate deficiency
• iron-deficiency
• radiation therapy
• vitamin B12 deficiency
• kidney disease with decreased erythropoietin production

Additional conditions under which the test may be performed:

• anemia of chronic disease
• congenital spherocytic anemia
• hemolytic anemia due to G6PD deficiency
• idiopathic aplastic anemia
• idiopathic autoimmune hemolytic anemia
• immune hemolytic anemia
• pernicious anemia
• secondary aplastic anemia
• drug-induced immune hemolytic anemia