Abstract

Objective: To find out different types of anemia in patients with hemoglobin less than 10 g/dl in relation to age and sex in Rawalpindi region.
Design: A descriptive study.
Place and Duration of Study: This study was carried at Military Hospital Rawalpindi and Armed Forces Institute of Pathology Rawalpindi from February 1997 to March 1998.
Patients and Methods: Patients above 12 years of age from both sexes with hemoglobin less than 10g/dl were randomly selected for the study. Patients suffering from other hematological diseases such as leukemia, myeloproliferative / lymphoproliferative disorders were excluded. Total 208 anemic patients were included in the study. History and physical findings were recorded. Laboratory investigations such as blood complete counts, red blood cells morphology, bone marrow examination and other relevant investigations where indicated for diagnosis were carried out.
Results: Iron deficiency anemia was found to be the most common type (n= 68, 32.69%) of anemia. In 12-45 years age group, iron deficiency anemia was found in 54 (35.29%) cases, followed by megaloblastic anemia in 23 (15.03%) cases. In age group 46 years and above, megaloblastic anemia was found in 16 (29.09%) cases followed by iron deficiency anemia in 14 (25.45%) cases.
Conclusion: Nutritional anemias are the most common types of anemia in our population. Iron deficiency is the commonest type present in females of reproductive age. Megaloblastic anemia was the commonest types of anemia in individuals of either sex over 46 years of age.