Any deviation from standard measurements can indicate disease.
Anisocytosis can be a sign of diseases such as kidney failure or heart failure.
This article explains what anisocytosis is, why it happens, and what it means.
Illustration by Zoe Hansen for Verywell Health
Typically, your red blood cells are approximately the same size.
A significant variability in their size could indicate a problem with your red blood cell production or survival.
Red blood cells survive for about three to four months.
Smaller red blood cells are described as microcytic, and larger red blood cells are described as macrocytic.
RDW reports how varied the red blood cells are in size.
Normal RDW should be 12% to 15%.
Anisocytosis means that the variability in size is higher than this range.
What Is Poikilocytosis?
Poikilocytosismeans a high percentage of abnormally shaped red blood cells.
This can be detected with ablood smear.
Different diseases and types of anemia can cause poikilocytosis, anisocytosis, or both.
Symptoms to Recognize
Anemia has many causes and types, all with similar symptoms.
Anemia symptomsinclude:
These symptoms can occur with any jot down of anemiawith or without anisocytosis.
Test to Diagnose Anisocytosis
The diagnosis of anisocytosis is established with a blood test.
Treatment for Anisocytosis
Anisocytosis is treated with the same therapeutic interventions that are used to treat anemia.
The treatment of anemia is directed toward the underlying cause.
If your anemia is due to cancer or kidney disease, the underlying caused would be treated.
Precautions in Special Populations
Sometimes the risk of anemia is higher than usual in certain populations.
Pregnancy
During pregnancy, there is an increased risk of anemia.
Monitoring for anemia is one of the things that you would need during pregnancy prenatal care.
Anisocytosis can sometimes be a sign of a higher potential risk of pregnancy complications.
Aging
Aging has been associated with anisocytosis, even without underlying disease.
Some research suggests that RDW increases with age could be associated with a higher risk of future disease.
Certain protein changes in the body could cause an increase in RDW that’s associated with aging.
Its possible that you could be at risk of recurrence if youve already had anemia.
You might need to remain on chronic treatment to prevent your underlying condition from returning.
Summary
Anisocytosis is a variability in red blood cell size.
This is often a sign of anemia or disease.
Different types of anemia and other underlying causes of anisocytosis vary in treatment.
Diagnosis of the underlying cause determines which treatment will be right for you.
2023;293(5):589-599. doi:10.1111/joim.13612
