nonanemic

Nonanemic is a medical term used to describe a state in which a person does not meet the criteria for anemia. In practical terms, this means that hemoglobin concentration, hematocrit, and overall red blood cell mass are within the normal reference ranges appropriate for the individual’s age, sex, and physiological conditions (such as altitude or pregnancy), indicating adequate oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood.

Assessment and interpretation are based on a complete blood count (CBC). Anemia is commonly defined by specific hemoglobin thresholds, which can vary by guidelines. For adults, many definitions use Hb below about 13 g/dL in men and below 12 g/dL in nonpregnant women as the cutoff for anemia, with lower thresholds often applied during pregnancy and for children whose values depend on age. A nonanemic result implies that these thresholds are not exceeded in the direction of deficiency, and red blood cell indices such as mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration are typically within normal ranges, though there are exceptions.

Clinical relevance of nonanemic status includes serving as a baseline in screening, monitoring response to treatment for other conditions, and assessing suitability for procedures or research participation. It is important to note that a normal hemoglobin level does not exclude all blood disorders or nutritional deficiencies; early iron deficiency, chronic disease, or mixed conditions can sometimes be present even when Hb is within normal limits.

See also: anemia, complete blood count, red blood cell indices.