INTERPRETATION OF SERUM IRON PROFILE AND CBC FINDINGS IN IRON DEFICIENCY ANEMIA

Abstract

Background: Iron deficiency anaemia is most common anemia worldwide. It is most common in female. In male IDA occurs most commonly due to gastrointestinal disease. Diagnosis of IDA on clinical suspicion is easy with CBC report and iron profile .Few dimorphic anemias and anemias in complex clinical settings pose difficulty in diagnosis, thus other investigations are also needed. Materials and Methods: we prospectively collected clinical data, CBC findings and iron profile results of patients of IDA in tertiary teaching institutes of Bihar. EDTA peripheral blood samples were run on Sysmex XT-1800i and CBC findings were noted, whenever needed peripheral blood smears were made to know morphology of red blood cells; serum samples of all cases were run for serum iron profile (iron, ferritin and transferritin saturation) and values noted and tabulated.Result:  All patients have both decreased serum iron and ferritin. They revealed classical microcytic hypochromic picture with raised RDW. Female outnumbered male. Male female ratio was 1:1.4. In this study CBC findings (MCV, MCH and RDW) were well correlated with iron profile findings. Minimum hemoglobin level was 5.4gm/dl.  Conclusion: Iron deficiency anemia is major public health problem worldwide .In majority of cases, CBC and iron profile study can clinch the diagnosis, however few cases need further investigations and clinical correlation.