A Review of the Immature Reticulocyte Fraction and Reticulocyte Maturity Index in Evaluating Regenerative, Non-Regenerative, and Pre-Regenerative Anemias in Dogs and Cats

Articles in Press

Document Type : Review article

Authors

1 Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Semnan University, Semnan, Iran

2 Student Research Committee, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Semnan University, Semnan, Iran

10.22059/ijvm.2025.387265.1005711

Abstract

Anemia is one of the most common hematological topics in dogs and cats, with various causes and outcomes. The immature reticulocyte fraction (IRF) and reticulocyte maturity index (RMI) serve as emerging indicators that identify highly immature reticulocytes containing large amounts of ribonucleic acid (RNA). These parameters are critical for the immediate evaluation of bone marrow response, the precise differential diagnosis of various causes of anemia, the examination of treatment efficacy, and the control of bone marrow regeneration in different healthcare settings. The maturity of reticulocytes and the RNA fluorescence intensity identified by systems such as Sysmex XN-1000V and ADVIA 2120i is how these hematology analyzers precisely calculate these indices. The IRF and RMI in dog and cat species with hemolytic anemias were significantly higher than those in hemorrhagic anemias. Additionally, these reticulocyte parameters in dogs and cats with bone marrow failure were considerably lower than in other non-regenerative anemias, and both groups compared to pre-regenerative anemias. This review article addresses the concepts, clinical applications, and comparison of the IRF and RMI determined by the Sysmex XN-1000V and ADVIA 2120i hematology analyzers in various types of regenerative, non-regenerative and pre-regenerative anemias in dogs and cats.

Keywords

Iranian Journal of Veterinary Medicine

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 05 May 2025

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