Quantitative determinations of microcytic-hypochromic red blood cell population and glycerol permeability in iron-deficiency anemia and beta thalassemia minor
T. Yermiahu et al., Quantitative determinations of microcytic-hypochromic red blood cell population and glycerol permeability in iron-deficiency anemia and beta thalassemia minor, ANN HEMATOL, 78(10), 1999, pp. 468-471
The H1/H2 Technicon automated cell analyzer measures, in addition to the us
ual red blood cell (RBC) parameters, subpopulations of microcytic (M) and h
ypochromic (H) red blood cells. The M/H ratio may be useful in the differen
tial diagnosis of iron-deficiency anemia (IDA) and beta thalassemia minor (
Thal). Thirty-three iron-deficient patients and 26 thalassemia patients wer
e studied. The M/H ratio was found to be higher in thalassemia patients tha
n in IDA patients. Using a cut-off point of 1.9 M/H ratio, the calculated d
iscriminant efficiency was 88%. When glycerol lysis values were determined
at 70 s as a cut-off point, the discriminant efficiency was slightly higher
, at 91%. Thus, the combination of the M/H ratio and the glycerol lysis tim
e (GLT) improves the discriminant efficiency and provides a good diagnostic
tool to differentiate between the two microcytic-hypochromic anemias. The
study suggests that the M/H ratio together with the GLT could serve as a us
eful screening tool. prior to the application of other more sophisticated m
ethods.