Rabia Nadeem, Nisar Ahmed, Saira Bashir.
Frequency of iron deficiency anaemia and beta thalassaemia trait at haematology department of Children Hospital, Lahore.
Biomedica Jan ;28(1):66-70.

Beta thalassaemia and iron deficiency anaemia are the most common microcytic hypochromic anaemias in Pakistan. Both have a significant impact on the patient, the patient’s family and offspring. Study Design: A descriptive study that was designed to compare the frequency of beta thalassaemia trait with iron deficiency anaemia in children who visited Children’s Hospital Lahore. Duration of study was six months from May 2005 to Oct 2005. Comparison was based on red blood cell morphology. Their demographic characteristics were also studied. Material and Methods: Three hundred children aged 01 – 16 years who visited Children’s Hospital Lahore were included in this study. Duration of study was 6 months. Criteria for selection were voluntary participation and the availability of family members. Venous blood samples were collected into EDTA. Erythrocyte subsets are reported by the Sysmex XE 5000 analyzer. Children receiving blood transfusion were excluded from the study. Results: It was observed that the prevalence rate of iron deficiency is more common (89.7%) as compared to beta thalassaemia trait (10.3%) in children. Male children were more thalassaemic and iron deficient as compared to females. Age range of both groups of children were 1 – 4 years. Thalassaemic patients have more positive family history than iron deficiency. Peripheral blood smear of thalassaemic children showed mild anisopoikilocytosis and fragmentation. Mild to moderate microcytosis and hypochromia was observed in same group of children. On the other hand mild to moderate anisopoikilocytosis, microcytosis and hypochromia was observed in children with iron deficiency. Severe microcytosis, hypochromia and mild fragmentation was observed in the same group of children. Conclusion: It is concluded that the frequency of iron deficiency is more common in age under 5 as compared to thalassaemia trait. Study also concluded that the percentages of iron deficiency in children studied are very high in our country as compared to other parts of the world. Positive family history of BTT may be due to marriage between close relatives, especially first cousins is a very common custom. Red cell differential is useful in distinguishing between thalassaemia and iron deficiency anaemia. In red cell morphology of both groups, fragmentation may be used to differentiate beta thalassaemia trait from iron deficiency.

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