Correlation between Hemoglobin Concentration and Absolute Reticulocyte count of adolescent female iron deficient patients at Colombo north teaching hospital.

Abstract

Abstract:-Iron deficiency can be identified as the most common micro-nutrient disorder and cause of anemia. Most frequently occurred in children under the age of 5 years, females of childbearing age and pregnant women. Study population comprised of untreated female patients, between 15-35 years of age (n=111) with Iron deficiency due to nutritional deficiency; from Thalassemia unit, Colombo North teaching hospital. In order to generate a comparison, of the correlations in a healthy person and an Iron deficient patient, a control population (n=60) were selected according age and gender matched patient population. The Thalassemia unit was chosen, as those patients who could make a major effect on hemoglobin levels, could be eliminated. Blood from the selected patients were collected for Full blood count analysis with Reticulocyte count and Serum Ferritin analysis. The Pearson’s moment correlation of coefficient (r) of patient population (n=111); between Hb and Abs.Retic is r = - 0.432, a moderate negative correlation (t-test: P=0.000 < 0.01), between Hb and S. Ferritin r = 0.570, a strong positive correlation (t-test: P=0.000 < 0.01), between Abs.Retic count and S. Ferritin r= - 0.268, a weak negative correlation (t-test: P=0.000 < 0.01). There were no correlations between parameters of control population. The Hb sub-group 9- 9.9 g/dL of patient population contributed to the significant strong negative correlation (t-test: r=-0.717; P=0.000<0.05) among all the groups. The results of our study shows that the body starts to present iron deficiency (ID) features (Microcytosis, Hypochromasia) in blood picture below Hb value 11.1 g/dL level. Although, above the 11.1 g/dL of Hb the ID features in blood picture is not prominent there are symptoms of ID. At the Hb range 9 – 9.9 g/dL the Abs.Retic count increases by about 6.804 x 1010/L which could be identified as an attempt of compensating the bone marrow in reduction of RBC production, in Iron deficiency anemia.