PA H2 | Approach to Anemia & Lab Investigation — Practice Quiz

According to WHO criteria, the haemoglobin threshold used to define anaemia in a non-pregnant adult woman is:

A 28-year-old vegetarian woman presents with fatigue. Her CBC shows: Hb 9.2 g/dL, MCV 110 fL, MCH 38 pg. NFHS-5 data shows that about 57% of Indian women aged 15–49 are anaemic. Which morphological class does her anaemia fall into, and what is the most likely cause given the dietary history?

A 35-year-old man with sickle cell disease presents with sudden worsening of anaemia. CBC: Hb 6.0 g/dL, MCV 88 fL, reticulocyte count 18%. His reticulocyte production index (RPI) using a maturation factor of 2 for Hct 18% is closest to:

The ETIOLOGICAL classification of anaemia is best determined by which single initial investigation?

A 19-year-old girl from rural Bihar presents with generalised weakness, pica, and angular cheilitis. Stool microscopy shows hookworm ova. Her CBC: Hb 7.8 g/dL, MCV 68 fL, MCH 20 pg, MCHC 28 g/dL, RDW 18%. The 5-step workup would proceed from CBC → PBS → which of the following as the most appropriate NEXT step?

A laboratory receives a EDTA tube for a platelet count. On arrival, the blood is noted to be clotted (fibrin visible). Which of the following BEST describes the expected impact on the platelet count result?

The cyanmethemoglobin (Drabkin's) method for haemoglobin estimation converts haemoglobin to cyanmethemoglobin, which is read at a wavelength of:

A technician counts RBCs in a Neubauer chamber. Blood is diluted 1:200. Cells are counted in 5 small central squares (each 1/400 mm²) and total depth is 0.1 mm. The count in those 5 squares is 400 cells. What is the RBC count per mm³?

When performing the differential leucocyte count (DLC) on a peripheral blood smear, the technician should count cells in which zone of the smear?

A sample arrives for a WBC count. Total cells counted in the four corner squares (1 mm² each) of the Neubauer chamber using dilution 1:20 = 80 cells. The WBC count per mm³ is:

A 45-year-old man with rheumatoid arthritis treated with methotrexate presents for routine CBC. His report shows platelet count 52,000/mm³. The haematologist suspects pseudothrombocytopenia. Which of the following is the MOST appropriate next step to confirm or refute this?

Blood stored in EDTA for more than 6 hours at room temperature is likely to produce which of the following pre-analytical errors in a CBC?