Abstract

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.