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15784

Effect of Microcytic Hypochromic Anemia and Parasitic Infestations on Stature in Adolescents

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Last updated: 03 Jan 2025

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Abstract

  Bakground: Microcytic hypochromic anemia is the commonest form of iron deficiency anemia in adolescents. The occurrence of this type of anemia among adolescents is around 27% in developing countries. Clinical management should be based on a full knowledge of the prevalence of this disease in the age group mentioned.   Subjects and Methods: The present study reported the distribution of this type of anemia across age, anthropometric guides, and parasitic infestations in a sample of 300 adolescents attending various schools in Giza region, Egypt. Red blood cell size and iron concentration were assessed by mean corpuscular volume, hemoglobin levels, serum ferritin and total iron binding capacity from a venous blood sample. The adolescent was considered to have the microcytic form of anemia when their mean corpuscular volume was below 80 femtoliters (fL). An adolescent with hypochromic anemia was defined as any subject with hemoglobin (Hb) below the WHO cutoff for age and sex: 12.0 g/dl for girls and for boys aged 12.5–14.99 years and 13.0 g/dl for boys aged ≥ 15 years. Also, hypochromic anemia included every subject having either serum iron < 50 µg/dL, or a serum total iron binding capacity (TIBC) > 400 µg/dL.   Results: The incidence of microcytic hypochromic anemia in this study was 53%.  There were highly statistically significant differences between anemic and non-anemic groups as regards age and height (P <0.05). Anemic adolescents also had significantly lower values for weight (P < 0.01), BMI (P < 0.01) and hemoglobin concentration (P<0.01) compared to non-anemic adolescents. Also, microcytic hypochromic anemia was more common in adolescents who did not have lunch regularly. Adolescents with current parasitic infestations showed a higher frequency of anemia compared to those who did not. There were no statistically significant differences between adolescents with parasitic infestation and adolescents without parasitic infestation as regards age, weight, height and BMI (P >0.05). Signs of pallor were more common in adolescents suffering from microcytic hypochromic anemia. Subjects with a history of chronic conditions such as cardiac diseases, renal failure or cancer had a significantly higher incidence of anemia than adolescents who did not.   Conclusion: It was concluded that the anemic group of adolescents enrolled in the study were susceptible to growth retardation. This type of anemia is more common in adolescents who do not have lunch, have a chronic disease or a parasitic infestation.  

DOI

10.12816/0004503

Keywords

Stature, microcytic hypochromic anemia, Parasitic Infestation, school adolescents

Authors

First Name

Hanan A.

Last Name

Fathy

MiddleName

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Affiliation

Radiation Health Research Department, National Center for Radiation Research and Technology (NCRRT), Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority (EAEA).

Email

fathyh2003@yahoo.com

City

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Orcid

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First Name

Tawfik

Last Name

M.S

MiddleName

-

Affiliation

Radiation Health Research Department, National Center for Radiation Research and Technology (NCRRT), Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority (EAEA).

Email

mstewfik@yahoo.com

City

-

Orcid

-

First Name

Nawal M.

Last Name

Khalifa

MiddleName

-

Affiliation

Pediatric Department, Research Institute of Ophthalmology, Giza, Egypt

Email

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City

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Orcid

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Volume

55

Article Issue

1

Related Issue

3399

Issue Date

2014-04-01

Receive Date

2018-10-03

Publish Date

2014-04-01

Page Start

175

Page End

183

Print ISSN

1687-2002

Online ISSN

2090-7125

Link

https://ejhm.journals.ekb.eg/article_15784.html

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https://ejhm.journals.ekb.eg/service?article_code=15784

Order

7

Type

Original Article

Type Code

606

Publication Type

Journal

Publication Title

The Egyptian Journal of Hospital Medicine

Publication Link

https://ejhm.journals.ekb.eg/

MainTitle

Effect of Microcytic Hypochromic Anemia and Parasitic Infestations on Stature in Adolescents

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Article

Created At

22 Jan 2023