Megaloblastic change in sickle cell disease obscured by genetically determined microcytosis

ABSTRACT

Changes in mean cell volume in sickle cell disease must be judged against the patient's own steady state values. Two cases are reported in which megaloblastic erythropoiesis was overlooked because of genetically determined microcytosis. The effect of megaloblastic change was to increase the mean cell volume(MCV) but values remained in the range normal for other patients (AU)