Laboratory Interpretation and Clinical Assessment
These laboratory values are entirely normal and require no intervention or further workup. 1, 2
Normal Reference Ranges and Interpretation
Your complete blood count shows:
Hemoglobin 14.5 g/dL and hematocrit 48.2% fall within the normal range for adult males (hemoglobin 13.5–17.5 g/dL, hematocrit 42–54%) and are at the upper end of normal for post-menopausal females (hemoglobin 12.0–16.0 g/dL, hematocrit 36–48%). 2
Platelet count 427 ×10⁹/L is within the normal range (150–450 ×10⁹/L) and does not meet criteria for thrombocytosis, which requires sustained elevation ≥450 ×10⁹/L. 3
MCV 98.2 fL is at the upper end of normal (80–100 fL) but does not constitute macrocytosis, which is defined as MCV >100 fL. 4, 5
MCHC 30.1 g/dL is within the normal range (32–36 g/dL) and does not indicate hypochromia, which would suggest iron deficiency. 1
RDW 14.2% is within the normal range (11.5–14.5%) and indicates a homogeneous red cell population without significant anisocytosis. 6, 7
MPV 8.4 fL is within the normal range (7.5–11.5 fL) and provides no evidence of platelet dysfunction or myeloproliferative disorder. 3
Why No Further Testing Is Needed
The combination of normal hemoglobin, normal MCV, normal MCHC, and normal RDW effectively excludes all clinically significant hematologic disorders. 1, 6
Normal MCHC rules out iron deficiency anemia, which would present with low MCHC (<30 g/dL) and typically low MCH. 1
Normal MCV with normal RDW excludes both microcytic disorders (iron deficiency, thalassemia) and macrocytic disorders (B12/folate deficiency, myelodysplasia). 4, 5, 6
The platelet count of 427 ×10⁹/L does not meet the threshold for essential thrombocythemia (≥450 ×10⁹/L sustained) and is commonly seen as a normal variant or mild reactive thrombocytosis. 3
Normal RDW indicates uniform red cell size distribution, which argues strongly against mixed nutritional deficiencies, hemolysis, or early myelodysplastic syndrome. 5, 6, 7
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
Do not order iron studies, B12/folate levels, or JAK2 mutation testing based on these normal values. 1, 2 The hemoglobin and hematocrit do not meet criteria for erythrocytosis (>18.5 g/dL men, >16.5 g/dL women), and the platelet count does not meet criteria for thrombocytosis. 3, 2
Do not interpret the platelet count of 427 ×10⁹/L as pathologic thrombocytosis. 3 Essential thrombocythemia requires sustained platelet elevation ≥450 ×10⁹/L, and this value is within the normal range for many laboratories.
Do not pursue polycythemia vera workup. 2 The hemoglobin 14.5 g/dL and hematocrit 48.2% fall well below the WHO diagnostic thresholds for polycythemia vera (hemoglobin >18.5 g/dL men or >16.5 g/dL women; hematocrit >52% men or >48% women). 3, 2
Recommended Management
Routine follow-up with repeat complete blood count only if clinically indicated by new symptoms (fatigue, bleeding, thrombosis, splenomegaly). 2 No specific interval monitoring is required for these normal values.