[janetrette]

questions about burns!

from what i understand when a burn pt will have an elevation in erthrocyte and leukocyte counts secondary to hemocentration. so increase in hematocrit. however, i don't understand why hemoglobin is decreaseed secondary to hemolysis. if anyone knows this please reply back. thank you.

[begalli]

Originally Posted by janetrette

i don't understand why hemoglobin is decreaseed secondary to hemolysis. if anyone knows this please reply back. thank you.

Remember hemolysis = bursted/busted cells or the breakdown of the cell.

and

Hemoglobin = the iron-protein component in the red blood cells that carries oxygen to body tissues

I would think that if the structure of the rbc changes then that will effect the rbc's O2 carrying capacity thereby making the hgb low?

Just a guess.

[kakashi]

i may be too late to share my opinion on this... hematocrit is the percentage of blood components with the total blood volume. Increase in hematocrit would simply mean that the it's either the RBCs are high in number or the blood plasma is quite low thus making the percentage of RBCs, with blood, high...say for example in dehydration.

The Low in hemoglobin, could also mean that severe burn has loss a number in RBC thus decreases the Oxygen capacity of the blood (hemoglobin). That makes the hemoglobin low, yet the hematocrit high.