Diagnostic Value of Red Cell Distribution Width and Red Blood Cell Distribution Width Index in Differentiating between Iron Deficiency Anemia and Beta Thalassemia Trait

Abstract

Objective: To determine the diagnostic value of red blood cell distribution width and red cell distribution width index in
differentiating iron deficiency anaemia and beta-thalassemia trait.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study.

Place and Duration of Study: Pak Emirates Military Hospital, Rawalpindi Pakistan, from Dec 2021 to Feb 2022.

Methodology: A study population of 110 children with an age limit of 1.5-7 years who reported low haemoglobin was
subjected to serum iron and ferritin levels with further evaluation of red cell count, blood morphology, and comparison of
mean corpuscular volume. Red cell distribution width was taken from the lab report, whereas Red blood cell distribution
width index value was computed for the samples.

Results: A total of 110 patients were enrolled in the study. Seventy-five (68.18%) participants were diagnosed with IDA,
26(23.63%) participants were the candidate of βTT. Nine participants were suffering from anaemia of variable etiologies such as chronic ailment and sideroblastic, etc. βTT patients presented with higher RBC counts with a mean of 5.71±1.2 x1012 /l (6.8- 8.5 x1012 /l) when compared to IDA participants who deciphered values of 3.5±0.5 (2.6-4.3 x1012 /l). Mean MCV in βTT was 52.2±2.7(50.1-56.8) whereas for IDA were 72.5±1.2(61.2–78.3). In IDA low serum ferritin was recorded 4.02±1.1(2.2-9.2) as compared to mean values of βTT patients.

Conclusion: Red cell distribution width index and Red blood cell distribution width are authentic variables and inexpensive
modalities in differentiating between iron deficiency anaemia and beta-thalassemia trait with reliability.