TY - JOUR
T1 - Half of the emirati population has abnormal red cell parameters
T2 - Challenges for standards and screening guidelines
AU - Al-Dabbagh, Bayan
AU - Shawqi, Saad
AU - Yasin, Javed
AU - Al Essa, Awad
AU - Nagelkerke, Nico
AU - Denic, Srdjan
N1 - Funding Information:
The study was supported by the grant from the College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University (NP-10-11/1015). The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article.
PY - 2014
Y1 - 2014
N2 - In populations with high prevalences of iron deficiency and thalassemia trait, many apparently healthy individuals have abnormal erythroid parameters, which may cause diagnostic problems in clinical practice. We studied the prevalence and causes of red cell parameter values outside their reference ranges in 394 healthy individuals of Bedouin Arab origin, who had complete blood counts (CBCs), hemoglobin (Hb) analyses and serum ferritin tests done. Their mean age,±,standard deviation (SD) was 24.8± 4.9 years and 51.8% were females. Overall, 53.0% (209/394) had low Hb, MCV or MCH or high RDW. Anemia was present in 27.0% (55/204) of the women and 3.0% (6/190) of the men. Overall prevalence of MCV <80.0 fL was 45.0% (176/394) and MCH <27.0 pg was 48.0% (190/394); RDW >14.0% was found in 21.0% (43/204) of women and 7.0% (14/190) of men. Of the women, 16.0% had iron deficiency anemia (33/204) and 65.0% had ferritin values of <30.0 mu;g/L (133/204). The estimated prevalence of α-thalassemia (α-thal) trait in men was 32.0% (60/190) and that of β-thalassemia (β-thal) trait in both sexes was 3.0% (12/394). In conclusion, half of the healthy Emirati population have abnormal CBC values. For clinical purposes, they require reference standards for red cells that are derived from their own population. Screening of women for iron deficiency is justified due to a high prevalence of iron deficiency.
AB - In populations with high prevalences of iron deficiency and thalassemia trait, many apparently healthy individuals have abnormal erythroid parameters, which may cause diagnostic problems in clinical practice. We studied the prevalence and causes of red cell parameter values outside their reference ranges in 394 healthy individuals of Bedouin Arab origin, who had complete blood counts (CBCs), hemoglobin (Hb) analyses and serum ferritin tests done. Their mean age,±,standard deviation (SD) was 24.8± 4.9 years and 51.8% were females. Overall, 53.0% (209/394) had low Hb, MCV or MCH or high RDW. Anemia was present in 27.0% (55/204) of the women and 3.0% (6/190) of the men. Overall prevalence of MCV <80.0 fL was 45.0% (176/394) and MCH <27.0 pg was 48.0% (190/394); RDW >14.0% was found in 21.0% (43/204) of women and 7.0% (14/190) of men. Of the women, 16.0% had iron deficiency anemia (33/204) and 65.0% had ferritin values of <30.0 mu;g/L (133/204). The estimated prevalence of α-thalassemia (α-thal) trait in men was 32.0% (60/190) and that of β-thalassemia (β-thal) trait in both sexes was 3.0% (12/394). In conclusion, half of the healthy Emirati population have abnormal CBC values. For clinical purposes, they require reference standards for red cells that are derived from their own population. Screening of women for iron deficiency is justified due to a high prevalence of iron deficiency.
KW - Hemoglobinopathies
KW - Public health
KW - Red cell parameters
KW - United Arab Emirates (UAE)
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U2 - 10.3109/03630269.2013.848811
DO - 10.3109/03630269.2013.848811
M3 - Article
C2 - 24205932
AN - SCOPUS:84892744520
SN - 0363-0269
VL - 38
SP - 56
EP - 59
JO - Hemoglobin
JF - Hemoglobin
IS - 1
ER -