Predictive value of complete hemogram in comparison to serum ferritin in the diagnosis of iron deficiency anaemia among paediatric population with congenital heart defect: A cross- sectional study

Abstract

Objective: Iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) is often associated with congenital heart defect (CHD) in children, especially in developing world. Often it remains undiagnosed due to the unaffordability to do costly tests like serum ferritin. We have done this study to know whether simple test like complete hemogram is sufficient to diagnose IDA in a child with CHD.
Materials and Methods: This hospital based observational study was done for a period of one and half year in paediatric ward of a district medical college of eastern India in children up to the age of 12 years with echocardiography confirmed CHD. Blood sample were tested for serum ferritin, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin and hemoglobin concentration (MCH,MCHC) and red cell distribution width (RDW) to diagnose IDA.
Results : We found IDA in 46 children out of total 100 CHD cases based on serum ferritin level. Out of 46 IDA children, 40 children (87%) had low MCV, 39 children(84.8%) had low MCH, 33 children (71.7%) had low MCHC, 41 children (89.1%) had high RDW and 37children(80.4%) having microcytic hypochromic picture. In logistic regression analysis we found RDW as the independent predictor of IDA.