Abstract

OUTCOME OF HYPOCHROMIC MICROCYTIC ANEMIA IN PATIENTS ATTENDING TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL OF BALOCHISTAN

Shabana Naz*, Hamid Iqbal, Javeria Ahsan, Waheed Ahmed, Iqra Ahmed, Umar Shujjat and Shumail Asghar

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Abstract

Background: Microcytic hypochromic anaemia is a major public health problem in developing countries, contributing significantly to morbidity and mortality. About 43% of fewer than 5 years are anaemic worldwide. Even where blood transfusion is available for treatment there is still a significant case fatality rate ranging between 6 and 18%. This study aimed to determine the outcome and morphological types of anaemia, as well as factors associated with severe anaemia in patients admitted at CMH, Quetta. Methods: This cross sectional, descriptive, institution based study was conducted in Department of Pathology, Combined Military Hospital Quetta from 4th November 2020 to 4th May 2021. A total of 448 ‘full blood count’ reports were randomly selected from medicine, surgical, paediatrics, urology wards for this study which were included. Results: A total of four hundred forty eight patients were recruited into the study. The overall outcome of microcytic hypochromic anaemia was 77.2% (346) with mild, moderate and severe anaemia being 16.5%, and 27.7% respectively. Microcytic hypochromic anaemia was detected in 37.5%, patients with moderate and severe anaemia, 22.6% (54) had iron deficiency anaemia based on serum ferritin level less than12 μg/ml. The factors associated with severe anaemia included unemployment of the parent, malaria parasitaemia and presence of sickle haemoglobin. Conclusion: The outcome of Microcytic hypochromic anaemia among patients admitted at CMH, Quetta was high. Iron deficiency anaemia was the most common type. Factors associated with severe anaemia were unemployment among caretakers, malaria parasitaemia and presence of sickle haemoglobin.

Keywords: Severe anaemia, Microcytic Hypochromic, Mwanza.