Prevalence of Various Types of Anaemia and Their Relation with Morphology of RBC and WBC in Elderly Population of North-West India.

Various Types of Anaemia and Their Relation with Morphology of RBC and WBC

Abstract

Background: More than 1.5 billion people are suffering with anaemia worldwide. Various changes in morphology of RBC have been found during anaemia. An insignificant high count of total leucocyte count (TLC) was found in anaemic compare to healthy individual. Whereas, neutrophils and basophils were high in anaemic patients. Therefore, the present study was designed to assess the prevalence of anaemia and its relation with morphology of RBC and WBC in elderly population. Subjects and Methods: The present study included 168 elderly anaemic patients. IDA (36 patients) was the most common type of anaemia. Results: Normocytic normochromic blood picture was found in 72 (42.8%) patients and these included cases of anaemia of chronic disease, multiple mycloma, carcinomatous marrow deposits and anaemia of renal disease. Macrocytic predominant blood picture along with poikilocytosis in the form of ovalocytes were seen in smears of 36 (21.4%) patients of megaloblastic anaemia, myelodysplastic syndrome and myelofibrosis. Microcytic hypochromic predominance was seen in all the 36 (21.4%) patients of iron deficiency anaemia. Conclusion: Nutritional anaemia was the most commonly prevalent anaemia among the elderly population. Predominantly microcytic hypochromic RBCs, pencil cells and a few target cells with increased platelets are indicative of iron deficiency anaemia. These patients also had low MCV values. Bone marrow aspiration smears revealed low iron stores. Anaemia is considered the disease with multifactorial etiology, however, we hope that morphology of RBC and WBC along with other haematological findings might be helpful in findings the possible causes of anaemia.