Risk of a couple having a child with severe thalassemia syndrome, prevalence in lower northern Thailand.

Thalassemia screening in pregnant women and their spouses was performed at Buddhachinaraj Provincial Hospital and 8 community hospitals in Phitsanulok; lower northern Thailand. The prevalence of thalassemic carrier state was determined of 1,198 couples. Of these, 4.8% had heterozygous alpha thalassemia-1, 1.6% had heterozygous beta thalassemia, 12.4% had heterozygous hemoglobin (Hb) E, 2.7% had homozygous Hb E and 0.25% of others had abnormal Hb. Eighteen at risk couples (1.5%) were identified. Fifteen couples were at risk for compound heterozygous Hb E / beta thalassemia and the remaining 3 were at risk for homozygous alpha thalassemia-1. Prenatal diagnosis (cordocentesis) was performed in 4 couples at risk, but no fetuses with severe thalassemic disease were detected.

Hospital-acquired anemia.

OBJECTIVE: The incidence and etiologies of hospital-acquired anemia has not been well defined A prospective study was conducted to determine the incidence and etiologies of hospital-acquired anemia developed in patients admitted in the medical ward of a tertiary care university hospital. MATERIAL AND METHOD: All non-anemic (hemoglobin (Hb) > or = 13 g/dl in male, > or = 12 g/dl in female) patients who were admitted to the general medical wards for at least 1 week, between March 2001 to October 2001, were included in the present study. Outcome of interest was anemia developed during hospital stay. The total volume of blood collected for investigations were recorded. RESULTS: Of the 98 evaluable patients, 64 (65.3%) developed anemia. Thirty-five percent of the patients had mild anemia (Hb > 10.0 g/dl) and 7% had severe anemia (Hb < or = 8.0 g/dl). Anemia of chronic disease was the most common cause found in 57.4% of anemic patients. Mean total volume of blood collected for investigation was higher in the anemic compared with the non-anemic group (147.0 ml vs. 52.0 ml, p < 0.05). Total volume of investigational blood also correlated significantly with degree of anemia (r = 0.638, p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Anemia was a common complication occurring in almost two-thirds of patients admitted to the hospital. Even though anemia of chronic disease was the leading cause, investigational blood loss was also an important contributing factor.