Iron-deficiency anemia. A study of risk factors among adult population of Quetta Valley

Khalid Mahmood, Hasan Salman Siddiqi, Ashif Sajjad, Sohail Shoukat, Zahid Mehmood, Amir Wasim, Alia B. Munshi

Center for Environmental Studies, PCSIR Labs Complex, Karachi, Pakistan.
Department of Chemistry, University of Baluchistan, Quetta, Pakistan.
Department of Medicine, Sandeman Provincial Hospital, Quetta, Pakistan.
Institute of Biochemistry, University of Baluchistan, Quetta, Pakistan.

DOI: 10.4236/health.2012.49095                

Abstract

Risk factors for iron deficiency anemia among the adult population of the Quetta valley have been investigated. Anemic adult patients, both males and females, who were admitted in the Sandeman Provincial Hospital, Quetta, were invited to participate in this study. After detailed history and examination, preliminary blood tests including full blood counts, platelets count, retics count, absolute blood values and blood film examination were done. A clinical diagnosis was made based upon the findings of history, examination and blood tests. In patients suspected to have iron deficiency anemia, serum iron studies (i.e. serum iron, Total iron binding capacity (TIBC) and serum ferritin) were done to confirm the diagnosis. Among the selected anemic patients, 60% were iron deficiency anemic, while 40% were non-iron deficiency anemic. Iron deficiency anemia was more common among females than males, as 70% patients were female and 30% were male. The risk factors were found to be pregnancy (40%), nutritional inadequacy (17%), menorrhagia (9%), hemorrhoids (9%), hook worms (8%), hematuria (2%) and blood loss due to various gastro-intestinal pathologies (15%).

Keywords

Anemia; Iron Deficiency; Risk Factors; Quetta Valley

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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