transitive verb. 1  To keep up or carry on; continue: maintain good relations. 2  To keep in an existing state; preserve or retain: maintain one's composure. 3  To keep in a condition of good repair or efficiency: maintain two cars.
Anemia is usually classified based on the size of RBCs, as measured by the mean corpuscular volume (MCV). Anemia can be microcytic (MCV typically less than 80 Î¼m3 [80 fL]), normocytic (80 to 100 Î¼m3 [80 to 100 fL]), or macrocytic (greater than 100 Î¼m3 [100 fL]).
For example, the red blood cell (RBC) count, hemoglobin (Hgb), and hematocrit (HCT) are the most important values needed to tell whether a person has anemia, but the red blood cell indices and the blood smear also help with the diagnosis and may show a possible cause for the anemia.