Evaluation of Mentzer index and red cell distribution width index as screening tools for iron deficiency anemia in children 6 months to 15 years of age in a tertiary care hospital

Anemiais defined as reduction in hemoglobin concentration**.** Almost 30% of world’s population is affected by anemia due to various causes of which iron deficiency anemia is a main contributor. Anemia poses public health challenge and is especially important in paediatric age group since nearly 6-7 out of 10 children under 5 years of age are anemic .Iron deficiency adversely affects physical growth, behavior and cognitive performance of the young and school age children. It also adversely affects the immune status and predisposes to morbidity and mortality from infections in all age groups. Hence there is need for early detection and intervention to reduce these adverse outcomes associated with iron deficiency anemia. Anemia is diagnosed using clinical symptoms and signs along with hemoglobin percentage, serum iron, total iron binding capacity and serum ferritin levels. In limited source settings, iron deficiency anemia is also diagnosed using hemoglobin percentage, peripheral smear showing microcytic hypochromic red blood cells and clinical response to iron therapy. In a resource poor country like India, iron studies especially serum ferritin which is currently the gold standard test for iron deficiency anemia is expensive and time consuming and may not be available in many peripheral laboratories. In such settings, economical yet effective screening modalities are required that would aid in diagnosis. Red blood cell parameters like Red Blood Cell Count(RBC) , Mean Corpuscular Volume(MCV), Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin (MCH), Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin Concentration(MCHC), Red cell Distribution Width(RDW), Peripheral Smear (PS) and some calculated indices like Mentzer index, Red cell Distribution Width index can be used as screening tools for iron deficiency anemia in children.