Which component of blood is primarily analyzed to check for anemia?

The component of blood primarily analyzed to check for anemia is red blood cells. Anemia is characterized by a deficiency in the number or quality of red blood cells or hemoglobin, which is the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. When diagnosing anemia, laboratory tests often measure parameters like hemoglobin concentration, hematocrit (the proportion of blood volume that is made up of red blood cells), and sometimes the red cell indices, which give more detailed information about the size and hemoglobin content of the red blood cells.

Other components of blood, such as white blood cells, platelets, and plasma proteins, play different roles in the body and are not directly indicative of anemia. White blood cells are associated with immune responses, platelets assist with blood clotting, and plasma proteins function in various processes including immune responses and maintaining osmotic pressure. Their analysis wouldn't provide the necessary information to specifically diagnose or assess the degree of anemia.