Hematocrit, packed cell volume
(HCT, PCV)

Sample type:

Uses:

Hematocrit is the calculated volume percentage of red blood cells (erythrocytes) in your blood. Hematocrit is also called packed cell volume (PCV) or erythrocyte volume fraction. Human blood contains red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets suspended in a liquid called plasma.
A hematocrit test is often part of a complete blood count (CBC), a routine test that measures different components of your blood. The test is also used to help diagnose blood disorders such as anemia, a condition in which your blood doesn’t have enough red cells, or polycythemia vera, a rare disorder in which your blood has too many red cells.

Precaution:

Handling of blood should take place with the maintenance of proper aseptic precautions.
The collected blood should be tested as soon as possible after collection.
Prolonged storage at the room temperature would result in a change in the shape of the RBCs due to metabolism.
After about 6 hours, the chances of hemolysis increase, which would give an erroneous result. In the macro-hematocrit method, the filing of the Wintrobe hematocrit tube requires proper care.

Interfering factors:

People living at high altitudes have high Hct values as well as high Hb and RBC.
Normally, the Hct slightly decreases in the physiologic hydremia of pregnancy.
The normal values for Hct vary with age and gender. The normal value for infants is higher because the newborn has many macrocytic red cells. Hct values in females are usually slightly lower than in males.
There is also a tendency toward lower Hct values in men and women older than 60 years of age, corresponding to lower RBC values in this age group.
Severe dehydration from any cause falsely raises the Hct.

Pre analytical error:

1) Technicians use other tubes instead of EDITA tube at sampling.

2) Do not record the patient’s history because this test help diagnose blood disorders such as anemia.

3) Not to put the name of the patient or error when putting the code of patient on the tube when sampling

Corrective action:

1) Request a new sample from the patient.

2) Communicating with the patient and recording the patient history.

3) anther sample request and should attention at next time.

Post analytical error:

1) Sharing the results of patients or writing the result incorrectly.

2) write a wrong Patient name in patient report.

Corrective action:

1) communicate with patient then delivered him the correct results and we apologize for this mistake.

2) the report is not delivered to the patient and the error must be discovered.

Reference range: