Utility of Red Blood Cell Indices in the Diagnosis of β-Thalassemia Minor
Journal Title: International Journal of Medical Science in Clinical Research and Review - Year 2024, Vol 7, Issue 01
Abstract
Background: β-thalassemia minor (β-TM) and iron deficiency anemia (IDA) are the most common causes of hypochromic microcytic anemia. The objective of this study was to determine the hematological features of β-thalassemia minor and to determine the sensitivity and specificity of mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH), red blood cell count (RBC), red cell distribution width (RDW), and Mentzer index (MI) as screening tools for β-thalassemia minor. Methods: A prospective study was conducted at the Teaching Hospital for Children in Iraq. A total of three hundred patients aged 2- 12 years were included. Patients were divided into two groups: the β-thalassemia minor group and the IDA group. Red blood indices were taken as part of the complete blood count. Calculations were made for sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value. Results: In the β-thalassemia minor group, the mean (RBC count and RDW) were 5.96±0.71×106/µL and 15.33±1.29%, respectively (p <0.0001). The mean MCV was 61.97±5.20 fL (p < 0.01). The sensitivity of the RBC count was 90%, while the specificity of RDW was 98.57%. Mentzer index in thalassemia minor patients was below 13 in 144 (89%). Conclusion: MCV and MCH were found to be highly sensitive screening tests for the detection of β-thalassemia minor, followed by RBC count and MI, while RDW was found to be highly specific for the diagnosis of β-thalassemia minor.
Authors and Affiliations
Marwa Hasan Abbas. 1, Zuhair M Almusawi. 2, Hosna Hasan Abbas. 3
Keywords
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- EP ID EP727576
- DOI http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10448723
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Utility of Red Blood Cell Indices in the Diagnosis of β-Thalassemia Minor
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