Macrocytosis

Macrocytosis is the enlargement of red blood cells with near-constant haemoglobin concentration, and is defined by a mean corpuscular volume (MCV) of greater than 100 femtolitres (the precise criterion varies between laboratories).

Causes
Most commonly this etiology is bone marrow dysplasia primary to alcohol abuse. Other causes may include:


 * Vitamin B12 or folate deficiency
 * hypothyroidism
 * reticulocytosis
 * liver disease
 * myeloproliferative disease

Complications
No complications arise from macrocytosis itself and a prognosis will be determined from its aetiology.