Title

A Descriptive Study on Iron Deficiency Anemia in the Adult Population of Khost Province

Authors

Dr. Asmatullah Sapand MD PhD-Scholar1, Dr. Raz Muhammad MD2, Dr. Ashraf Abdali MD MS PhD3

Introduction

Anemia is present in adults if the hematocrit is below 41% (hemoglobin less than 13.5 g/dl in males or below 36% (hemoglobin less than 12.5 g/dl in females. Congenital anemia is suggested by the patient’s personal and family history [1]. The most common cause of anemia is iron deficiency. Poor diet may result in folic acid deficiency and contribute to iron deficiency, but bleeding is the most common cause of iron deficiency in adults. Iron deficiency is the most common cause of anemia world¬wide [1]. Aside from circu¬lating RBCs, the major location of iron in the body is the storage pool as ferritin or as hemosiderin in macrophages. Menstrual blood loss plays a major role in iron metabo¬lism. The average monthly menstrual blood loss is approxi¬mately 50 mL but may be five times greater in some individuals. Women with heavy menstrual losses must absorb 3–4 mg of iron from the diet each day to maintain adequate iron stores, which is not commonly achieved. Women with menorrhagia of this degree will almost always become iron deficient without iron supplementation [2].

Methods

This descriptive study was conducted in patients who came to Abdali Medical Complex during 11th of August 2022 to 11th of August 2023. Total three hundred patients with the age range within more the 18 years old were included in this study who met all the criteria required for this study. In this study patients’ CBC and other related blood tests were checked. Moreover, detailed inquiries were made including chronic diseases, nutritional status, past health conditions, present health problems, Obs/gynecological history of women and family history of anemia were obtained. In this study we conducted a detailed and complete examination of physical health of all patients. We checked patients’ blood tests, hemoglobin level, serum ferritin level and the CBC reports in laboratory. Blood platelets were also checked. We considered serum ferritin for acute iron deficiency as less than 14 ng/dl. Hemoglobin values were considered to examine the designated limit in women and men as 10 to 12 g/dl.

Results

From all 300 anemic patients [260 (86.6%) females and 40 (13.3%)], we found 262 (87.3%) patients were deficient of iron and 38 (12.7%) patients had inadequacy of non-iron (lack of other minerals) anemia. Most (183) of the patients (61%) who had less volume of iron were aged 21 to 45 Years. On basis of serum ferritin level (SFL), we observed the intensity of deficiency of iron and classify into modest, mildest and acute groups. We found 210 (70%) patients had modest IDA (iron deficiency anemia), 33 (11%) patients had acute and the remaining 57 (19%) patients had mildest deficiency of iron anemia.

Conclusion

According to this study, the prevalence of iron deficiency anemia was more dominant in contrast to other causes of anemia. It was seen that females were more commonly affected by iron deficiency anemia and in whom the pattern of iron deficiency was mostly of the modest type.

References

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