ABSTRACT
Microcytic hypochromic anemia is the commonest form of iron deficiency anemia in adolescents. The occurrence of this type of anemia among adolescents is around 27% in developing countries. Clinical management should be based on a full knowledge of the prevalence of this disease in the age group mentioned. The present study reported the distribution of this type of anemia across age, anthropometric guides, and parasitic infestations in a sample of 300 adolescents attending various schools in Giza region, Egypt. Red blood cell size and iron concentration were assessed by mean corpuscular volume, hemoglobin levels, serum ferritin and total iron binding capacity from a venous blood sample. The adolescent was considered to have the microcytic form of anemia when their mean corpuscular volume was below 80 femtoliters [fL]. An adolescent with hypochromic anemia was defined as any subject with hemoglobin [Hb] below the WHO cutoff for age and sex: 12.0 g/dl for girls and for boys aged 12.5-14.99 years and 13.0 g/dl for boys aged > 15 years. Also, hypochromic anemia included every subject having either serum iron < 50 microg/dL, or a serum total iron binding capacity [TIBC]> 400 microg/dL. The incidence of microcytic hypochromic anemia in this study was 53%. There were highly statistically significant differences between anemic and non-anemic groups as regards age and height [P 0.05]. Anemic adolescents also had significantly lower values for weight [P < 0.01], BMI [P < 0.01] and hemoglobin concentration [P<0.01] compared to non-anemic adolescents. Also, microcytic hypochromic anemia was more common in adolescents who did not have lunch regularly. Adolescents with current parasitic infestations showed a higher frequency of anemia compared to those who did not. There were no statistically significant differences between adolescents with parasitic infestation and adolescents without parasitic infestation as regards age, weight, height and BMI [P >0.05]. Signs of pallor were more common in adolescents suffering from microcytic hypochromic anemia. Subjects with a history of chronic conditions such as cardiac diseases, renal failure or cancer had a significantly higher incidence of anemia than adolescents who did not. It was concluded that the anemic group of adolescents enrolled in the study were susceptible to growth retardation. This type of anemia is more common in adolescents who do not have lunch, have a chronic disease or a parasitic infestation