European Journal of Molecular & Clinical Medicine

Febrile seizures occurs mostly in children 14–18 months of age, which overlaps with the maximum prevalence age of iron-deficiency anemia, which is between 1 and 2 years of age.It is well established that iron deficiency may cause some behavioral and developmental problems. The relationship between iron deficiency and febrile seizure is not yet well determined, the present study was conducted to see  the  association  between  iron  deficiency  anaemia  and  simple  febrile  seizures.Methods -This  prospective  case  control  study  was  conducted  in  SMGS  Hospital,  GMC Jammu from January 2018 to  December  2020  after  taking  approval  from  institutional  ethical  committee. Cases  included  children  of  age  group  6  months  to  5  years  presenting  with  simple  febrile  seizure  to  the  casualty  or  OPD  of  this  hospital. For  each  case,  a  control  was  selected  with  similar  age  group  and  same  sex  who  came  for  short  duration  fever  (less  than  3  days) but  without  seizures. deficiency  was  defined  as   per  WHO  criteria After  proper  consent  of  parents  of  the  study  children,  blood  samples  of  the  study  children  were  sent  for  the  above  mentioned  investigations  in  hospital’s  central  laboratory. Samples  were  taken  during  afebrile  period.Results- Total  200  subjects  were  included  in  the  study,  100  in  each  group. Iron  deficiency  anaemia  was  seen  in 46  subjects(46%)  in  case  group  and  in  13(13%)  subjects  in  control  group. The  results  were  statistically  significant {p<0.0001, odds  ratio(95% CI)  5.70(2.82 TO 11.51)}. Conclusion-Iron deficiency anaemia can be considered as a risk factor for febrile seizures and  treatment of iron deficiency anaemia may prevent  occurrence  of  febrile  seizures.

Microcytic hypochromic anaemia is prevalent in India. Beta thalassemia and iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) is one of the important causes of microcytic hypochromic anaemia. HighPerformance Liquid Chromatography Chromatography (HPLC) is currently the gold standard in diagnosing hemoglobinopathies which are only available in certain advanced laboratories. It is important to develop easily examined parameters that are useful to help in the diagnosis of thalassemia traits. In a resource-poor country, like India, HPLC may not be widely available, Mentzer’s index can be used to differentiate IDA and thalassemia.

Introduction: Microcytic hypochromic anaemia is prevalent in India. Beta thalassemia and
iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) is one of the important causes of microcytic hypochromic
anaemia. High-Performance Liquid Chromatography Chromatography(HPLC) is currently
the gold standard in diagnosing hemoglobinopathies which are only available in certain
advanced laboratories. It is important to develop easily examined parameters that are useful
to help in the diagnosis of thalassemia traits. In a resource-poor country, like India, HPLC
may not be widely available, Mentzer’s index can be used to differentiate IDA and
thalassemia.
AIMS & OBJECTIVE:
1. To determine haemoglobin and other red cell indices on samples collected from
patients with clinical symptoms of anaemia.
2. To differentiate between Iron deficiency anaemia and thalassemia.
3. To calculate Mentzer’s index and study its sensitivity and specificity in differentiating
iron deficiency anemia from thalassemia trait.
Material and Methods: This is a Cross-Sectional and Observational type of study conducted
among 112 anaemic patients in the Department of Pathology in aTertiary CareTeaching
Hospital over a period of 1 year.
Results Out of 112 Patients who were included in our study,The blood indices of all the cases
were studied and Mentzer index was calculated for all the cases of iron deficiency anaemia
and beta thalassemia trait. Out of 57 patients with iron deficiency 54 (94.7 %) patients had
Mentzer index more than 13 and 3 (5.3 %) had Mentzer index less than 13. While out of 55
patients with thalassemia trait 51 (92.7 %) patients had Mentzer index less than 13 and 4 (7.3
%) patients had Mentzer index of more than 13.
Conclusion: Iron deficiency anaemia and thalassemia have different effects on blood
indices.In resource poor and developing countries like that of India it can be used as a
screening tool. In doubtful cases the diagnosis can be confirmed by Hb Electrophoresis.
Mentzer index has low sensitivity and specificity; it can be used as a screening tool to
differentiate between IDA and Thalassemia. In cases of fallacies and doubt to be confirmed
by serum iron studies and HPLC.