KHẢO SÁT GIÁ TRỊ HUYẾT SẮC TỐ HỒNG CẦU LƯỚI Ở TRẺ EM THIẾU MÁU THIẾU SẮT VÀ THALASSEMIA

Abstract

Background: Anemia is a common health problem in children. The most common cause of anemia is not getting enough iron. In countries with a high incidence of thalassemia disease, the common causes of anemia are not only iron deficiency but also thalassemia.  Reticulocyte hemoglobin content (CHr), a direct measure of the hemoglobin (Hb) in the young red blood cells, has been reported to be useful in the diagnosis of iron deficiency anemia but may have some limitations in thalassemia. Objectives: Describing some hematological characteristics and surveying reticulocyte hemoglobin content in children with iron deficiency anemia and thalassemia. Materials and methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in 87 children diagnosed with iron deficiency anemia and thalassemia at Can Tho Children’s Hospital and Phuong Chau International Hospital. Results: Total of 87 children were enrolled with a median age of 2.0 years. Males accounted for 64.4% and females accounted  for 35.6%. CHr in the iron deficiency anemia group (23.4±3.7 pg) was significantly lower than in the thalassemia group (25.0±2.4 pg, p<0.05). CHr had an AUC of 0.647 in differential diagnosis between thalassemia and iron deficiency anemia, while a cut-off 21.7 pg had a sensitivity of 95.5% and a specificity of 67.5%. Conclusions: CHr <21.7 pg may be used in differential diagnosis between iron deficiency anemia and thalassemia in children.