title: Interaction of iron deficiency anemia and hemoglobinopathies among college students and pregnant women: a multi center evaluation in India.
abstract: Although iron deficiency anemia is very common in India, systematic large studies on the prevalence and hematological consequences of iron deficiency among carriers of β-thalassemia (β-thal) and other hemoglobinopathies are lacking. A multi center project was undertaken to screen college/university students and pregnant women for iron deficiency anemia and various hemoglobinopathies. Fifty-six thousand, seven hundred and seventy-two subjects from six states, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, West Bengal, Assam and Punjab, were studied. Iron deficiency anemia was evaluated by measuring zinc protoporphyrin (ZPP) and hemoglobin (Hb) levels, while β-thal and other hemoglobinopathies were detected by measuring the red cell indices and by Hb analysis using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). College boys (2.2%), college girls (14.3%) and antenatal women (27.0%) without any hemoglobinopathies had iron deficiency anemia. Among the β-thal carriers, the prevalence of iron deficiency anemia was 17.3% in college boys, 38.1% in college girls and 55.9% in pregnant women, while in the Hb E [β26(B8)Glu→Lys; HBB: c.79G>A] carriers, it was 7.3% in college boys, 25.4% in college girls and 78.0% in antenatal women. In individuals with Hb E disease, the prevalence of iron deficiency anemia varied from 31.2-77.3% in the three groups. A significant reduction in Hb levels was seen when iron deficiency anemia was associated with hemoglobinopathies. However, the Hb A2 levels in β-thal carriers were not greatly reduced in the presence of iron deficiency anemia.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Immunohaematology (Indian Council of Medical Research), King Edward Memorial Hospital Campus , Mumbai, Maharashtra , India .
authors.forename: Dipika
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mohanty
authors.forename: Ajit C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Gorakshakar
authors.forename: Roshan B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Colah
authors.forename: Ramesh Z
authors.initials: RZ
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: Dilip C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Master
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mahanta
authors.forename: Santanu K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: Utpal
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Chaudhari
authors.forename: Malay
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ghosh
authors.forename: Sheila
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Das
authors.forename: Reitt P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Britt
authors.forename: Shawinder
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Cecil
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ross
authors.forename: Lata
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jagannathan
authors.forename: Rajni
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kaul
authors.forename: Deepak K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Shukla
authors.forename: Vasantha
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Muthuswamy
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D062306:Geography, Medical; D006453:Hemoglobinopathies / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D015995:Prevalence; D062486:Public Health Surveillance; D013334:Students; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: India; college students; iron deficiency anemia; pregnant women; β-Thalassemia (β-thal)