Significance of values of mean corpuscular volume and red cell distribution width in diagnosis of anemia

Objective: To investigate the significance of values of the mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and red cell distribution width (RDW) in the diagnosis of anemia. Methods: The values of MCV and RDW in patients with anemia were determined with a blood cell automatic analyser. Results: According to MCV and RDW, anemia could be divided into 6 types. Conclusion: In comparison with the traditional classification, the classification of MCV/RDW can more effectively reflect the changes of etiology and it has certain instructive significance in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases.