Mentzer index as a screening tool for iron deficiency anemia in 6-12-year-old children

Background There is a high prevalence of iron deficiency anemia (IDA) in Indonesia. Iron deficiency anemia impairs the growth and development process in children. The reference standard to diagnose IDA is serum ferritin level. Since this test is expensive and rare not widely available, an inexpensiv...

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Main Authors: Sri Lestari S. Alam, Rini Purnamasari, Erial Bahar, Kemas Ya'kub Rahadian
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Indonesian Pediatric Society Publishing House 2014-10-01
Series:Paediatrica Indonesiana
Subjects:
Online Access:https://paediatricaindonesiana.org/index.php/paediatrica-indonesiana/article/view/1012
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author Sri Lestari S. Alam
Rini Purnamasari
Erial Bahar
Kemas Ya'kub Rahadian
author_facet Sri Lestari S. Alam
Rini Purnamasari
Erial Bahar
Kemas Ya'kub Rahadian
author_sort Sri Lestari S. Alam
collection DOAJ
description Background There is a high prevalence of iron deficiency anemia (IDA) in Indonesia. Iron deficiency anemia impairs the growth and development process in children. The reference standard to diagnose IDA is serum ferritin level. Since this test is expensive and rare not widely available, an inexpensive, simpler testis needed. The Mentzer index (mean corpuscular volume/red blood cell or MCV JRBC) has been used to identitY hypochromic-microcytic anemia with good validity. Objective To assess the validity of the Mentzer index for diagnosing IDA by comparing Mentzer indexes to serum ferritin and to define an optimal Mentzer index cut off point with good sensitivity and specificity. Methods The study was a diagnostic test with cross-sectional design. Subjects were collected by multistage, random sampling, from April to May 2013 at 18 elementary schools in Palembang. The study had a survey phase and diagnostic test phase. Subjects were aged 6-12 years with hypochromic-microcytic anemia. We examined complete blood counts to diagnose hypochromic-microcytic anemia, calculated Mentzer indexes, and measured serum ferritin levels of our subjects. We analyzed the validity of Mentzer index compared to serum ferritin level for diagnosing IDA. Results There were 100 children in our study, consisting of 51boys and 49 girls with a mean age of 9.1 (SD 2.02) years. From the receiver-operator curve (ROC) curve analysis, the area under the curve (AUC) was 91.5)010 for a Mentzer index cutoff point of 13.51. Diagnostic test analysis revealed a sensitivity of93%, specificity 84 %, and accuracy 90%. Conclusion Mentzer index has good validity as an inexpensive and simple screen for IDA in 6-12-year-old children with hypochromic-microcytic anemia.
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spelling doaj.art-c2541cc7009e407280c02881dc47fa7c2022-12-21T18:39:37ZengIndonesian Pediatric Society Publishing HousePaediatrica Indonesiana0030-93112338-476X2014-10-01545294810.14238/pi54.5.2014.294-8842Mentzer index as a screening tool for iron deficiency anemia in 6-12-year-old childrenSri Lestari S. Alam0Rini Purnamasari1Erial Bahar2Kemas Ya'kub Rahadian3Departments of Child Health, Sriwijaya Medical School/Dr. Moh. Hoesin Hospital, Palembang, South SumateraDepartments of Child Health, Sriwijaya Medical School/Dr. Moh. Hoesin Hospital, Palembang, South SumateraDepartments of Biostatistic, Sriwijaya Medical School/Dr. Moh. Hoesin Hospital, Palembang, South SumateraDepartments of Clinical Pathology, Sriwijaya Medical School/Dr. Moh. Hoesin Hospital, Palembang, South SumateraBackground There is a high prevalence of iron deficiency anemia (IDA) in Indonesia. Iron deficiency anemia impairs the growth and development process in children. The reference standard to diagnose IDA is serum ferritin level. Since this test is expensive and rare not widely available, an inexpensive, simpler testis needed. The Mentzer index (mean corpuscular volume/red blood cell or MCV JRBC) has been used to identitY hypochromic-microcytic anemia with good validity. Objective To assess the validity of the Mentzer index for diagnosing IDA by comparing Mentzer indexes to serum ferritin and to define an optimal Mentzer index cut off point with good sensitivity and specificity. Methods The study was a diagnostic test with cross-sectional design. Subjects were collected by multistage, random sampling, from April to May 2013 at 18 elementary schools in Palembang. The study had a survey phase and diagnostic test phase. Subjects were aged 6-12 years with hypochromic-microcytic anemia. We examined complete blood counts to diagnose hypochromic-microcytic anemia, calculated Mentzer indexes, and measured serum ferritin levels of our subjects. We analyzed the validity of Mentzer index compared to serum ferritin level for diagnosing IDA. Results There were 100 children in our study, consisting of 51boys and 49 girls with a mean age of 9.1 (SD 2.02) years. From the receiver-operator curve (ROC) curve analysis, the area under the curve (AUC) was 91.5)010 for a Mentzer index cutoff point of 13.51. Diagnostic test analysis revealed a sensitivity of93%, specificity 84 %, and accuracy 90%. Conclusion Mentzer index has good validity as an inexpensive and simple screen for IDA in 6-12-year-old children with hypochromic-microcytic anemia.https://paediatricaindonesiana.org/index.php/paediatrica-indonesiana/article/view/1012iron deficiency anemiaIDAMentzer indexserum ferritin
spellingShingle Sri Lestari S. Alam
Rini Purnamasari
Erial Bahar
Kemas Ya'kub Rahadian
Mentzer index as a screening tool for iron deficiency anemia in 6-12-year-old children
Paediatrica Indonesiana
iron deficiency anemia
IDA
Mentzer index
serum ferritin
title Mentzer index as a screening tool for iron deficiency anemia in 6-12-year-old children
title_full Mentzer index as a screening tool for iron deficiency anemia in 6-12-year-old children
title_fullStr Mentzer index as a screening tool for iron deficiency anemia in 6-12-year-old children
title_full_unstemmed Mentzer index as a screening tool for iron deficiency anemia in 6-12-year-old children
title_short Mentzer index as a screening tool for iron deficiency anemia in 6-12-year-old children
title_sort mentzer index as a screening tool for iron deficiency anemia in 6 12 year old children
topic iron deficiency anemia
IDA
Mentzer index
serum ferritin
url https://paediatricaindonesiana.org/index.php/paediatrica-indonesiana/article/view/1012
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AT kemasyakubrahadian mentzerindexasascreeningtoolforirondeficiencyanemiain612yearoldchildren