Background: Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) and beta thalassemia trait (β-TT) are most common causes
of microcytic hypochromic anemia. When the diagnosis of iron deficiency anemia and thalassemia
minor, is based only on hematological parameters and erythrocyte morphology, It is necessary to carry
out the gold standard tests to differentiate between these two types of anemia, once the therapeutic
conduct is distinct for each case.
Objective: This study aims to validate the red blood cell distribution width (RDW) for discrimination
and differentiation between iron deficiency anaemia from beta thalassemia trait in Qena University
Hospital.
Patients and method(s): This study is a prospective descriptive hospital based study included 30
patients (13 male and 17 female) who presented with microcytic hypochromic anemia by CBC not
responding to iron therapy and suspected as β-TT at pediatric outpatient clinic of Qena University
Hospital and their ages ranging from 1 year to 10.5 years from January 2018 until December 2018.
Result(s):This study is a prospective descriptive hospital based study included 30 patients with age of
the patients ranges from 1 to 10.5 years .The data showed insignificant increase of red cell distribution
width of RBCs among the studied cases of BTT group (18.06±3.51) compared to IDA group < br />(18.76±2.77)withp value < 0.584.
Conclusion:Our study concluded that RDW adds useful but limited information in discrimination between
β-TT and IDA. So, iron profile and HbA2arestill the gold standard for differentiation between β-TT and
IDA.