Diagnostic Performance of Red Blood Cell Indices in the Differential Diagnosis of Iron Deficiency Anemia and the Thalassemia Trait in Chile: A Retrospective Study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) and the β-thalassemia trait (BTT) are two main causes of hypochromic-microcytic anemia worldwide. Researchers have described many red blood cell (RBC) indices as screening tests for presumptive differentiation, based on differences observed in complete blood count (CBC) data for each condition. There are few BTT reports in Chile, and neither laboratories nor clinical staff have widely used these indices.

Objective

The objective of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of 29 RBC indices in 182 patients (51 BTT and 131 IDA) and compare CBC results in both groups.

Methods

A retrospective search was carried out in the Laboratory Information System between January 2021 and February 2024 to collect results from CBC, an

SUBMITTER: Balcazar-Villarroel M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11545601 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature