Can This Be Causing The Odd Results?

Posted on Fri, 23 Oct 2020

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Fri, 23 Oct 2020 Answered on

Tue, 27 May 2025 Last reviewed on

Question : I got back bloodwork and here are the results. RBC 7.56, MCV 76.3, MCH 22.5. MCHC 29.5, RDW 20.8, hemoglobin 17.0 and hemocrit 57.7%. I've had similar results in the past and my doctor thinks I have thalassemia, but at 64 I've only experienced this for the last few years. I am a drinker, usually 4 drinks a day. Can this be causing the odd results?

Answered by Dr. Shailja Puri (59 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Polycythemia needs to be ruled out

Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Your blood report shows elevated red blood cell count ( RBC) and high haemoglobin (Hb).
The red cell indices do not indicate any hemoglobinopathy like thallasemia.
I suggest you to get erythropoietin levels since I suspect polycythemia rather than hemoglobinopathy.
Erythropietin is a hormone like substance produced by bone marrow.
In primary polycythemia erythropoieitn level is elevated but normal on secondary polycythemia.

Thanks and take care
Dr Shailja Puri

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Yogesh D

Follow up: Dr. Shailja Puri (43 minutes later)

The reason I suspect alcohol is the culprit was because I went 30 days without a drink about a year ago. Before that my bloodwork looked similar to this current bloodwork. After 30 days of abstinence from alcohol the results were as follows: RBC 5.56, MCV 82.9, MCH 25.0, MCHC 30.2, RDW 15.1, hemoglobin 13.9, and hemocrit 46.1. Was that just coincidence?

Answered by Dr. Shailja Puri (13 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Alcohol is unlikeky cause, PBS advised

Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome again,
Alcohol is not the likely cause.
Alcohol tends to increase MCV however in your case MCV is on lower side.
MCV is a calculated parameter. It can be falsely low in conditions where RBC count is high.
In addition, I suggest you to get peripheral blood smear examination.

Thanks and take care
Dr Shailja Puri

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Nagamani Ng