The Erythrocyte Cell Hemoglobin Distribution Width Segregates Thalassemia Traits from Other Nonthalassemic Conditions with Microcytosis

Publication Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

1997

Abstract

Red cell heterogeneity, as represented by the red cell distribution width (RDW), can be used to distinguish thalassemia traits from iron deficiency. Two other indices of heterogeneity, the hemoglobin distribution width and the cell hemoglobin distribution width (CHDW), are also available. In addition, the CHDW may reflect the process of cell hemoglobinization more accurately than does the RDW. In this study, recursive partitioning methods were used to compare the ability of these three indices to discriminate between thalassemia traits and other nonthalassemic conditions among hospital patients who had microcytosis. The data indicate that the CHDW can segregate patients who have either iron replete or iron deficient nonthalassemic conditions from those who have thalassemia traits. A CHDW level of less than 3.05 correctly discriminated 78.4% of patients in a mixed hospital sample. A CHDW/RBC ratio of 0.57 improved the segregation further, with a sensitivity of 79.2% and a specificity of 88.5% for the identification of a thalassemia trait.

Discipline

Econometrics | Medicine and Health Sciences

Research Areas

Econometrics

Publication

American Journal of Clinical Pathology

Volume

107

Issue

5

First Page

601

Last Page

607

ISSN

0002-9173

Identifier

10.1093/ajcp/107.5.601

Publisher

Omicron Chi Epsilon

Additional URL

https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcp/107.5.601

This document is currently not available here.

Share

COinS