Evaluating Discrimination Indexes for Iron Deficiency Anemia among Children Aged Between 1-15 Years Old

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 aimed to assess well-suited and conclusive deferential indexes for IDA diagnosis among children aged between 1-15 years old

Blood samples were collected from outpatients 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 binding capacity (TIBC) were determined. Furthermore, differential indexes including Mentzer, Shine and Lal and England-Frazer were measured and the data were analyzed using SPSS.

Out of 100 children, 72 individuals were healthy and 28 had IDA. The average age was 3.6±2.9 years. The prediction value of the RBC indexes for the differentiation IDA were as follows: MCV (99%), HB (96%), Ferritin (95%), HCT (87%), MCH (79%), Serum Iron (71%), RBC count (51%), RDW (27%), and TIBC (26%). The prediction values of the formulas were as follows: Shine and Lal (96%), Mentzer (80%), and England-Frazer (79%).

According to the findings, it is possible to diagnose IDA by Complete Blood Count (CBC) test accompanied by differential indexes. A simple selective index such as Shine and Lal might be very beneficial for screening of IDA. This index is also useful for the diagnosis of microcytic anemia.