The Prevalence of Anaemia and Haematological Parameters in Children and Adolescents; A Hospital Based Study

Abstract

Introduction: Anemia is a common health problem worldwide. It is an important cause of morbidity and mortality of young and growing children in rural areas of developing countries. Young growing anemic children have various clinical symptoms including, pallor, Jaundice, fever, cough, breathlessness, hyper-pigmentation, tremors, and hepatosplenomegaly. Aim of the Study: Aim of the study was to evaluate the clinical manifestations, and grades of anaemia in different age groups. Methods: This retrospective observational study was conducted in the Department of Paediatrics at Dhaka Shishu Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh. A total of 95 patients were enrolled and analyzed in this study from July 2021 to December 2021. Result: In the present study of the prevalence of anemia and hematological parameters in children aged 1-18 years 10(10.53%) children were <1 year, 37(38.95%) were between 1-5 years, 28(29.47%) were aged between 6-10 years, and 11(11.58%) were between 11-15 years. Types of anemia were 46.32% had iron deficiency, 29(30.53%) had thalassemia. The clinical manifestation included 95 (100%) pallor, 79(83.16%) weakness and fatigability, 35(36.84%) fever, 25(26.32%) Icterus, 19(20.00%) shortness of breath, 17(17.80%) hepatomegaly. According to grade of anemia, 21.05% of patients had mild, 46.32% of patients had moderate anemia, and 32.63% had a severe grade of anemia. Conclusion: Besides haematological investigations for typing of anemia, Haemoglobin electrophoresis establishes the disease in haemoglobinopathies. Adequate health and healthy nutritional habits and prescription of Iron supplements are of great importance in the prevention and management of anemia in children assisted by public health services.