What does tear drop present mean in a manual differential blood count?
Tear drop cells in the blood stream are most generally associated with iron deficiency anemia. While this is not an alarming finding, it suggests that there is a production problem in the bone marrow when trying to get enough iron (hemoglobin) into the red cells. If there isn’t enough iron, the red cells will adapt and attempt to maximize surface area for oxygen binding by altering their shape. This is a common appearance in iron deficient states. There are a host of other changes along with tear drop cells that support the diagnosis of iron deficiency. This is also seen in other conditions that are less frequently diagnosed.
