Clinical assessment of anemia

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In assessing anemia, the clinician must conduct a multivariate analysis using clinical data and information from the blood smear and other laboratory tests. In this review, Drs Beissner and Trowbridge describe the decisions a clinician must make with regard to the definition and classification of anemia and the laboratory tests necessary for definitive diagnosis. They conclude that the most clinically useful approach for identifying the most common and most treatable forms of anemia is the classic, and simple, morphologic classification.