Authors : Rima Kamat, Shilpa Gatlewar, Sangeeta Kini
DOI : 10.18231/j.pjms.2022.074
Volume : 12
Issue : 2
Year : 2022
Page No : 393-398
Background: Thalassemia being one of the commonest causes of anaemia, screening remains is the backbone for diagnosing traits. Considering expensive confirmatory diagnostic tests, aim of this study was to study utility of haematological parameters and NESTROFT as screening tools for thalassemia trait.
Materials and Methods: It is a one and half year prospective study from June 2017 to December 2018, carried out in outdoor patients investigated in central laboratory of a tertiary care centre. A total of 5000 cases were randomly selected based on low haemoglobin values as per WHO Criteria. All the haematological parameters of the complete hemogram performed, were thoroughly analysed. Mentzer Index (MI) and Ehasani Index (EI) were calculated. NESTROFT was performed in all study samples and results were compared with haematological parameters. Results were compiled and statistically analysed.
Results: Out of total 5000 cases with low haemoglobin, mean haemoglobin was 10.12+1.29. Age ranged between 1-82 years with mean age 36.22+16.50 years with female preponderance. NESTROFT was positive in 152 cases (3.04%) and haematological parameters such as RBC, Hemoglobin, MCV were found to be significant (p<0>
Conclusion: This study concludes that both haematological parameters and NESTROFT have to be used in conjunction as the primary screening tool for thalassemia traits in general population. Thus making it an ideal contender to be adopted in rural settings of developing countries, for early diagnosis and decreasing the morbidity associated with thalassemia.
Keywords: NESTROFT, Mentzer index, Ehasani index, Thalassemia trait