eMedicine Specialties > Hematology > Red Blood Cells and Disorders

Macrocytosis: Follow-up

Author: Wendy Brick, MD, Consulting Staff, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Mecklenburg Medical Group
Coauthor(s): Russell Burgess, MD, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, East Carolina Internal Medicine
Contributor Information and Disclosures

Updated: Aug 29, 2009

Follow-up

Further Outpatient Care

  • Outpatient follow-up depends on the cause of the macrocytosis.

Inpatient & Outpatient Medications

  • Folate 1 mg/d may be prescribed in patients with folate deficiency.
  • Vitamin B-12 injections (100-1000 mcg IM per mo), continued indefinitely, may be prescribed.

Miscellaneous

Medicolegal Pitfalls

  • Failure to diagnose and treat the cause of the macrocytosis
 


More on Macrocytosis

Overview: Macrocytosis
Differential Diagnoses & Workup: Macrocytosis
Treatment & Medication: Macrocytosis
Follow-up: Macrocytosis
References
Further Reading
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References

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  2. Rumsey SE, Hokin B, Magin PJ, Pond D. Macrocytosis--an Australian general practice perspective. Aust Fam Physician. Jul 2007;36(7):571-2. [Medline]. [Full Text].

  3. Sternfeld T, Lorenz A, Schmid M, et al. Increased red cell corpuscular volume and hepatic mitochondrial function in NRTI-treated HIV infected patients. Curr HIV Res. May 2009;7(3):336-9. [Medline].

  4. Argento V, Roylance J, Skudlarska B, et al. Anemia prevalence in a home visit geriatric population. J Am Med Dir Assoc. Jul 2008;9(6):422-6. [Medline].

  5. Ganji V, Kafai MR. Hemoglobin and hematocrit values are higher and prevalence of anemia is lower in the post-folic acid fortification period than in the pre-folic acid fortification period in US adults. Am J Clin Nutr. Jan 2009;89(1):363-71. [Medline]. [Full Text].

  6. Ali G, Pecoud A, Decrey H, Verdon F. [Vitamin B 12 deficiency: early diagnosis in ambulatory care medicine]. Schweiz Med Wochenschr. Nov 7 1998;128(45):1763-71. [Medline].

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Keywords

macrocytosis, macrocytes, megaloblasts, anemia, megaloblastic anemia, myelodysplastic anemia, myelophthisic anemia, aplastic anemia, acquired sideroblastic anemia, vitamin B-12 deficiency, folate deficiency, chronic alcoholism, alcoholism, accelerated erythropoiesis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, COPD, Lesch-Nyhan syndrome, deficient enzymes for folate metabolism, homocystinuria, liver disease, hypothyroidism

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Contributor Information and Disclosures

Author

Wendy Brick, MD, Consulting Staff, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, Mecklenburg Medical Group
Wendy Brick, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Alpha Omega Alpha, American College of Physicians, American Medical Association, and American Society of Hematology
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Russell Burgess, MD, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology, East Carolina Internal Medicine
Russell Burgess, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Physicians and American Medical Association
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Medical Editor

Paul Schick, MD, Emeritus Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University Medical College; Research Professor, Department of Internal Medicine, Drexel University College of Medicine; Adjunct Professor of Medicine, Lankenau Hospital, Wynnewood, PA
Paul Schick, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Physicians, American Heart Association, American Society of Hematology, International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis, and New York Academy of Sciences
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Pharmacy Editor

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD, Senior Pharmacy Editor, eMedicine
Disclosure: eMedicine Salary Employment

Managing Editor

Ronald A Sacher, MB, BCh, MD, FRCPC, Professor, Internal Medicine and Pathology, Director, Hoxworth Blood Center, University of Cincinnati Academic Health Center
Ronald A Sacher, MB, BCh, MD, FRCPC is a member of the following medical societies: American Society of Hematology
Disclosure: Glaxo Smith Kline Honoraria Speaking and teaching; Talecris Honoraria Board membership

CME Editor

Rajalaxmi McKenna, MD, FACP, Consulting Staff, Department of Medicine, Southwest Medical Consultants, SC, Good Samaritan Hospital, Advocate Health Systems
Rajalaxmi McKenna, MD, FACP is a member of the following medical societies: American Society of Clinical Oncology, American Society of Hematology, and International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Emmanuel C Besa, MD, Professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Hematologic Malignancies, Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University
Emmanuel C Besa, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Association for Cancer Education, American College of Clinical Pharmacology, American Federation for Medical Research, American Society of Hematology, and New York Academy of Sciences
Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

 
 
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