| Comments |
P.601 2nd paragraph:"It must therefore be obvious that single indices which reflect the ratio of total red cell mass to plasma volume, such as the hematocrit or the hemoglobin concentration, cannot be interpreted without a knowledge of the background circumstances. While the average healthy non-pregnant woman living at sea level may have a hemoglobin concentration of about 13-14 g/dl, that ratio is not sacred. A rise could indicate a decrease in plasma volume, or an increase in the total circulating hemoglobin, the latter perhaps as a result of physical training. Likewise, a fall in hemoglobin concentration could be due to a reduction in total red cell mass for physiological or pathological reasons, or it could simply reflect a rise in plasma volume due to some influence such as environmental heat." |