title: A local equation for differential diagnosis of β-thalassemia trait and iron deficiency anemia by logistic regression analysis in Southeast Iran.
abstract: The most common differential diagnosis of β-thalassemia (β-thal) trait is iron deficiency anemia. Several red blood cell equations were introduced during different studies for differential diagnosis between β-thal trait and iron deficiency anemia. Due to genetic variations in different regions, these equations cannot be useful in all population. The aim of this study was to determine a native equation with high accuracy for differential diagnosis of β-thal trait and iron deficiency anemia for the Sistan and Baluchestan population by logistic regression analysis. We selected 77 iron deficiency anemia and 100 β-thal trait cases. We used binary logistic regression analysis and determined best equations for probability prediction of β-thal trait against iron deficiency anemia in our population. We compared diagnostic values and receiver operative characteristic (ROC) curve related to this equation and another 10 published equations in discriminating β-thal trait and iron deficiency anemia. The binary logistic regression analysis determined the best equation for best probability prediction of β-thal trait against iron deficiency anemia with area under curve (AUC) 0.998. Based on ROC curves and AUC, Green & King, England & Frazer, and then Sirdah indices, respectively, had the most accuracy after our equation. We suggest that to get the best equation and cut-off in each region, one needs to evaluate specific information of each region, specifically in areas where populations are homogeneous, to provide a specific formula for differentiating between β-thal trait and iron deficiency anemia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Zahedan University of Medical Sciences , Zahedan , Iran .
authors.forename: Narjes
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sargolzaie
authors.forename: Ebrahim
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Miri-Moghaddam
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000465:Algorithms; D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004909:Erythrocyte Indices; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D055815:Young Adult; D017086:beta-Thalassemia / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology
keywords: differential diagnosis; iron deficiency anemia; logistic regression; trait; β-Thalassemia (β-thal)