Document Type : original article

Author

Iran University of Medical Sciences

10.22038/ijp.2023.75826.5381

Abstract

Background: Iron Deficiency Anemia (IDA) is a massive health concern with a high frequency in Iran. Differentiating between IDA and other microcytic-hypochromic anemia like beta thalassemia minor requires demanding and money consuming tests. That is why this study aim to assess well-suited and conclusive deferential indexes for IDA diagnosis among children aged between 1-15 years old

Materials and Methods: Blood sample was collected from children aged between 1-15 years old . Consequently, Ferritin, Hemoglobin, Serum Iron, RBC count, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), red cell volume distribution width (RDW), total iron banding capacity (TIBC) were determined.

Furthermore, differential indexes including Mentzer, Shine and Lal and England-Frazer were measured and finally data were analyzed using SPSS.

Results: Out of 100 children, 72 children were healthy and 28 had IDA. The average age was 3.62.9 of years. In this investigation prediction value for differentiation IDA according to the RBC indexes founded to be as following: MCV (99%), HB (96%), Ferritin (95%), HCT (87%) MCH (79%) Serum Iron (71%), RBC count (51%), RDW (27%), TIBC (26%), The prediction value for formula was as following: Shine and Lal (96%), Mentzer (80%), and England-Frazer (79%).

Conclusion: According to this study it is possible to diagnose IDA by Complete Blood Count (CBC) test accompanied by differential indexes. Taken together and according to our data a simple selective index such as Shine and Lal might be very beneficial for screening of IDA. This index is also useful in parallel for diagnosis of microcytic anemia.

Keywords