Imagine that you go to see a doctor for a certain medical condition, and they give you a blood test. When you get the report in a few days, when you see some of the medical terms in it, we feel a little scared and curious, right? 'Polychromasia' is one such word. This word in your report is not something to worry about or think of as a serious illness. It only indicates a process in your body. So, today we will talk about what Polychromasia really is, why it is recorded in a report, and what you need to be aware of about it.
Simply put, what is Polychromasia?
Polychromasia is not a disease. It's something that you see when a sample of your blood is tested in a lab. Simply put, it means that some of your red blood cells, when tested with a special dye, turn a blue-gray color.
Normally, our red blood cells mature in the bone marrow, meaning they are fully mature and ready to be released into the bloodstream. But sometimes, for some reason, the bone marrow releases these red blood cells into the bloodstream before they mature, meaning they are immature . In medicine, we call these immature red blood cells ``Reticulocytes.'' Those cells react with a special pigment and appear blue-gray. So, your report says Polychromasia, which means that you have a large number of these immature red blood cells in your blood.
Why does this happen? Main causes of polychromasia
To understand this, let's first learn a little about our red blood cells.
Every cell and tissue in our body needs oxygen to survive. Red blood cells are the transporters that carry this precious oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body. These are produced in a factory called our bone marrow. They grow well in the bone marrow for about 7 days before they are released into the blood. Normally, a red blood cell lives for about 120 days. When they die, a hormone called ``Erythropoietin`` produced by our kidneys signals the bone marrow to make new red blood cells to fill the gap.
However, some medical conditions can disrupt this process. When the body urgently needs red blood cells, or when the bone marrow is affected, immature cells are released, saying, "It's okay, even though they're not fully formed yet, they're ready to go into the blood." That's when you see Polychromasia in your blood report.
Let's see what the main reasons are in the table below.
| Reason | Simple explanation |
|---|---|
| Anemia - especially Hemolytic Anemia | What happens in this is that red blood cells are destroyed faster than they can be produced. This causes the body to have too few red blood cells. To make up for this shortage, the bone marrow quickly releases immature cells into the blood. Examples: - Congenital diseases (e.g. Thalassemia, Sickle cell anemia) - Conditions that occur later (e.g., certain medications, infections, cancer, reactions to blood donation, autoimmune diseases such as lupus) |
| Hemorrhage | When a large amount of blood is lost from the body, either due to an injury or bleeding inside the body (e.g., the stomach, chest, or brain), the bone marrow rushes to fill the gap. At that time, immature cells also enter the blood. |
| Bone marrow problems (Myeloid metaplasia) | When the bone marrow is damaged by certain types of cancer (such as lymphoma and multiple myeloma), other organs, such as the liver and spleen, begin to make red blood cells. Since these organs cannot make mature cells as well as the bone marrow, immature cells accumulate in the blood. |
What symptoms might be associated with this?
The important thing is that there are no symptoms that are specific to Polychromasia. Because it is not a disease, it is something that is seen in a lab report. However, you may experience different symptoms depending on the underlying condition that caused Polychromasia.
This means that the symptoms you are experiencing are not due to Polychromasia, but rather due to anemia, bleeding, or another disease that caused it.
Here are some common symptoms:
| Common symptoms that may be related to underlying medical conditions | |
|---|---|
| - Fatigue | - Paleness |
| - Difficulty breathing | - Dizziness |
| - Fever | - Pain in the bones |
| - Easy bleeding or bruising | - Swelling of the liver or spleen |
How can this be diagnosed and treated?
Identification
Polychromasia is diagnosed with a special blood test called a Peripheral Blood Smear . This involves taking a small drop of your blood and spreading it thinly on a glass slide, adding a special dye to it, and examining it under a microscope. This allows the doctor to get a good idea of the shape, size, and nature of the red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets in your blood.
These immature red blood cells contain more of a substance called ``Ribonucleic acid - RNA'' than normal cells. That RNA reacts with the pigment, which gives them their blue-gray appearance.
Treatment options
This is the most important part. The word polychromasia is not treated. Because it is not a disease. The treatment is for the underlying condition that caused it.
This means that your doctor will review your report, ask about your symptoms, and try to determine the cause of your polychromasia. He or she may also need to do further tests.
- If the cause is a medication, that medication can be changed.
- If the cause is anemia, appropriate treatment (e.g. iron tablets, vitamins, blood transfusion if necessary) will be provided.
- If the cause is an infection, it will be treated.
- If the cause is a serious condition such as cancer, the patient will be referred to specialist doctors and the necessary treatment will begin.
Some causes are temporary and can be completely cured with treatment. Some can be chronic conditions that need to be managed throughout life. Therefore, it is essential to discuss your report with your doctor and follow his or her instructions exactly.
Take-Home Message
- Polychromasia is not a disease, it is just a note that can be seen on a blood test report.
- This means that immature red blood cells have been released from your bone marrow into the bloodstream.
- This may be a sign of an underlying medical condition (e.g. anemia, bleeding).
- Treatment is not for Polychromasia, but for the underlying condition that caused it.
- If your blood test report shows something like this, don't panic and discuss it with your doctor and get the right advice.
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