How much does the platelet aggregate influence the total leukocyte count? Comparison between manual and automated impedance methods in domestic cats

Background: Automated hematology analyzers have been developed to optimize the time between analyses and havepromising precision and accuracy. Complete blood count (CBC) is often requested as part of veterinary clinical examination. Automated analyzers are often used to determine CBCs, since processing as well as container-related errors mayoccur owing to variable sizes, aggregates, white or red blood cell fragments, and effects of EDTA on cell morphology.Platelet aggregates frequently occur in felines, with studies reporting a prevalence of approximately 71%. The aim of thepresent study was to evaluate the influence of exercise aggregates on the global white blood cell count of domestic catsusing automated hematological counters with the impedance method.Materials, Methods & Results: Blood samples of 140 cats, irrespective of age, sex, and breed, were collected into EDTAcontaining tubes. The samples were obtained via routine clinical examinations at the Veterinary Hospital of the FederalRural University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRRJ) and processed at the Veterinary Parasitology Experimental ChemotherapyLaboratory (LQEPV), belonging to the same institution. All the samples were processed on the Sysmex pocH-100iVDiff automated hematology apparatus according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. Leukocyte counts were alsomanually determined using a duplicate Neubauer chamber. Standard dilutions were prepared immediately after theautomated analysis. To identify the occurrence of platelet aggregates, a blood smear was made and visualized undera brightfield microscope at a magnification of 10× and scored 0 to 3 (G1, G2, G3, and G4) based on the aggregationintensity. In case of changes, the groups were subdivided according to the intensity of occurrence. Of the 140 samples...

How much does the platelet aggregate influence the total leukocyte count? Comparison between manual and automated impedance methods in domestic cats

Background: Automated hematology analyzers have been developed to optimize the time between analyses and havepromising precision and accuracy. Complete blood count (CBC) is often requested as part of veterinary clinical examination. Automated analyzers are often used to determine CBCs, since processing as well as container-related errors mayoccur owing to variable sizes, aggregates, white or red blood cell fragments, and effects of EDTA on cell morphology.Platelet aggregates frequently occur in felines, with studies reporting a prevalence of approximately 71%. The aim of thepresent study was to evaluate the influence of exercise aggregates on the global white blood cell count of domestic catsusing automated hematological counters with the impedance method.Materials, Methods & Results: Blood samples of 140 cats, irrespective of age, sex, and breed, were collected into EDTAcontaining tubes. The samples were obtained via routine clinical examinations at the Veterinary Hospital of the FederalRural University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRRJ) and processed at the Veterinary Parasitology Experimental ChemotherapyLaboratory (LQEPV), belonging to the same institution. All the samples were processed on the Sysmex pocH-100iVDiff automated hematology apparatus according to the manufacturers recommendations. Leukocyte counts were alsomanually determined using a duplicate Neubauer chamber. Standard dilutions were prepared immediately after theautomated analysis. To identify the occurrence of platelet aggregates, a blood smear was made and visualized undera brightfield microscope at a magnification of 10× and scored 0 to 3 (G1, G2, G3, and G4) based on the aggregationintensity. In case of changes, the groups were subdivided according to the intensity of occurrence. Of the 140 samples...(AU)

Behavior of red cell distribution width (RDW) in a population of anemic and non-anemic dogs from an ambulatory care unit / Comportamento do índice de anisocitose (RDW) em uma população de cãesanêmicos e não anêmicos de uma unidade de atendimento ambulatorial

O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o comportamento do índice de anisocitose na interpretação do hemograma de cães anêmicose não anêmicos. Atualmente, contadores hematológicos automatizados veterinários fornecem alguns índices que não sãocalculados quando o hemograma é confeccionado manualmente. A saber: RDW-CV (Amplitude de distribuição de hemáciascomo coeficiente de variação) e RDW-SD (Amplitude de distribuição de hemácias como desvio-padrão). Tais índices levaram auma nova abordagem do paciente com anemia permitindo que a anisocitose fosse mensurada de uma forma quantitativa. Foramavaliados 454 hemogramas processados no período de setembro de 2009 a março de 2011. Foram calculados média e desviopadrão e uma análise de variância foi realizada. Os cães anêmicos (125/454) apresentaram altos valores de RDW enquanto que,em animais não anêmicos, esse índice permaneceu dentro dos valores de normalidade previamente estabelecidos. O índicetambém estava alto em animais com anisocitose observada à microscopia. Houve uma diferença significante entre os índices dosanimais que apresentaram Volume Globular Médio (VGM) elevado e normal. Concluiu-se que os índices RDW-CV e RDW-SDforam sensíveis a pequenas variações no tamanho das hemácias e na heterogeneidade, sendo mais precisos que a observaçãomicroscópica para se detectar anisocitose e mais sensível que VGM para variação eritrocitária.(AU)

The aim of this study was to evaluate the behavior of the red cell distribution width (RDW) in the interpretation of the CompleteBlood Count (CBC) from anemic and non-anemic dogs. Currently, automated veterinary blood cell analyzers provide hematologicindices not calculated in manually performed CBC, such as Red Blood Cell Distribution Width measured by Variation Coefficients(RDW-CV) and Red Blood Cell Distribution Width measured by Standard Deviation (RDW-SD), which has led to new of September2009 to March 2011. Mean and standard deviation were calculated and variance analysis was performed. Anemic dogs (125/454)presented higher values for RDW indices. In non-anemic animals, these indices were in accordance with the normal valuespreviously established. Both indices were higher in dogs with microscopic observation of anisocytosis. There was a significantdifference among índices of the animals which showed normal and increased Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV). We concludedthat RDW-CV and RDW-SD indices were sensitive to small variations on erythrocyte size and heterogeneity, being more accuratethan microscopic observations to detect anisocytosis and more sensitive than MCV to erythrocyte variation.(AU)

Image-based red blood cell counter for multiple species of wild and domestic animals / Contador de células vermelhas baseado em imagens para múltiplas espécies de animais silvestres e domésticos

RBC count plays an important role in animal diagnosis. Despite the many technologies available in different automated hematology analyzers, when it comes to the blood of wild animals it is still difficult to find an easy and affordable solution for multiple species. This study aims to evaluate the proposed automatic red blood cell counter. Blood samples (1 ocelot - Leopardus pardalis, 1 monkey - Cebus apella, 1 coati - Nasua nasua, 62 dogs - Canis familiaris, and 5 horses - Equus caballus) were analyzed using three methods: 1-manual count, 2-automatic count by image, and 3-semi-automatic count by image; blood from dogs and horses were also analyzed by a fourth method: 4-automatic count by impedance. The counts in methods 2 and 3 were produced by the proposed red blood cell counter. Results were compared using Pearson's correlation and plots with different methods as the criterion standard. RBC counts in methods 1, 2, and 3 correlated very well with those in the method 4 (r ≥ 0.94). RBC counts produced by method 2 were highly correlated with method 3 (r = 0.998). The results indicate that the proposed method can be used as an automatic or semi-automatic counting method in clinics that are currently using the manual method for RBC assessment.(AU)

A contagem de células vermelhas do sangue desempenha um papel importante no diagnóstico de animais. Apesar da existência de muitas tecnologias em diferentes contadores automatizados para análise de sangue, quando se trata do sangue de animais silvestres ainda é difícil encontrar uma solução simples e econômica para múltiplas espécies. O objetivo deste estudo é avaliar o contador de células vermelhas proposto. Amostras de sangue (uma jaguatirica - Leopardus pardalis, um macaco - Cebus apella, um quati - Nasua nasua, 62 cães - Canis familiaris e cinco cavalos - Equus caballus) foram analisadas por três métodos: 1 - contagem manual, 2 - contagem automática por imagem e 3 - contagem semiautomática por imagem; as amostras de cães e cavalos foram analisadas por um quarto método: 4 - contagem automática por impedância. As contagens dos métodos 2 e 3 foram obtidas usando-se o contador de células vermelhas proposto. Os resultados foram comparados por meio da correlação de Pearson e gráficos com diferentes métodos como valor de referência. As contagens dos métodos 1, 2 e 3 se correlacionaram muito bem com as contagens do método 4 (r ≥ 0.94). As contagens produzidas pelo método 2 apresentaram alta correlação com o método 3 (r = 0.998). Os resultados indicam que o contador proposto pode ser usado como um método de contagem automática ou semiautomática em clínicas que usam o método manual para contagem de células vermelhas do sangue de animais.(AU)

Image-based red blood cell counter for multiple species of wild and domestic animals / Contador de células vermelhas baseado em imagens para múltiplas espécies de animais silvestres e domésticos

RBC count plays an important role in animal diagnosis. Despite the many technologies available in different automated hematology analyzers, when it comes to the blood of wild animals it is still difficult to find an easy and affordable solution for multiple species. This study aims to evaluate the proposed automatic red blood cell counter. Blood samples (1 ocelot - Leopardus pardalis, 1 monkey - Cebus apella, 1 coati - Nasua nasua, 62 dogs - Canis familiaris, and 5 horses - Equus caballus) were analyzed using three methods: 1-manual count, 2-automatic count by image, and 3-semi-automatic count by image; blood from dogs and horses were also analyzed by a fourth method: 4-automatic count by impedance. The counts in methods 2 and 3 were produced by the proposed red blood cell counter. Results were compared using Pearson's correlation and plots with different methods as the criterion standard. RBC counts in methods 1, 2, and 3 correlated very well with those in the method 4 (r ≥ 0.94). RBC counts produced by method 2 were highly correlated with method 3 (r = 0.998). The results indicate that the proposed method can be used as an automatic or semi-automatic counting method in clinics that are currently using the manual method for RBC assessment.(AU)

A contagem de células vermelhas do sangue desempenha um papel importante no diagnóstico de animais. Apesar da existência de muitas tecnologias em diferentes contadores automatizados para análise de sangue, quando se trata do sangue de animais silvestres ainda é difícil encontrar uma solução simples e econômica para múltiplas espécies. O objetivo deste estudo é avaliar o contador de células vermelhas proposto. Amostras de sangue (uma jaguatirica - Leopardus pardalis, um macaco - Cebus apella, um quati - Nasua nasua, 62 cães - Canis familiaris e cinco cavalos - Equus caballus) foram analisadas por três métodos: 1 - contagem manual, 2 - contagem automática por imagem e 3 - contagem semiautomática por imagem; as amostras de cães e cavalos foram analisadas por um quarto método: 4 - contagem automática por impedância. As contagens dos métodos 2 e 3 foram obtidas usando-se o contador de células vermelhas proposto. Os resultados foram comparados por meio da correlação de Pearson e gráficos com diferentes métodos como valor de referência. As contagens dos métodos 1, 2 e 3 se correlacionaram muito bem com as contagens do método 4 (r ≥ 0.94). As contagens produzidas pelo método 2 apresentaram alta correlação com o método 3 (r = 0.998). Os resultados indicam que o contador proposto pode ser usado como um método de contagem automática ou semiautomática em clínicas que usam o método manual para contagem de células vermelhas do sangue de animais.(AU)