Published online Dec 16, 2023. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v11.i35.8270
Peer-review started: October 26, 2023
First decision: November 20, 2023
Revised: December 1, 2023
Accepted: December 6, 2023
Article in press: December 6, 2023
Published online: December 16, 2023
Processing time: 48 Days and 21.9 Hours
Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) and thalassemia trait (TT) are common causes of microcytic anemia that are challenging to differentiate, especially in resource-limited settings. A simple screening index using basic complete blood count parameters could facilitate diagnosis.
To develop and validate a new index for discriminating between IDA and TT which only requires two routine complete blood count results.
To determine the optimal formula for a new screening index to differentiate between IDA and TT and validate its performance against gold standard tests.
Retrospective analysis of complete blood counts from 126 patients to develop the index formula based on receiver operating characteristic curves. Prospective validation in 61 additional patients using sensitivity, specificity, and other metrics.
The hemoglobin to mean corpuscular volume ratio (Hb/MCV) showed the best discrimination. An index cut-off of 1.512 differentiated IDA from TT with 93.5% sensitivity and 78.4% specificity.
The Hb/MCV index successfully differentiated between IDA and TT. As it only requires hemoglobin and MCV, which is convenient for use in resource-limited settings.
The Hb/MCV index could facilitate screening and early diagnosis of TT in areas without access to genetic testing. Future studies should evaluate it prospectively across diverse populations.