This document discusses using hematological profiles to identify thalassemia traits. It notes that beta-thalassemia carriers typically have microcytic and hypochromic blood with reduced MCV, MCH, and MCHC. However, hematological profiles are not effective at indicating HbE carriers, as these values are often normal. The document concludes that while hematological profiles can provide some clues about beta-thalassemia traits, premarital screening using high-performance liquid chromatography is essential to reliably identify carriers, prevent severe hemoglobinopathies in offspring, and address the high prevalence of traits in India.

1. Is haematological profile an
indicator of thalassemia traits?
- A perspective study
Dr. Diganta Dey
Ashok Laboratory, Kolkata

2. How haematological profile indicates
the possibilities of thalassemia traits?
• Microcytic:
reduced MCV
• Hypochromic:
reduced MCH
• MCHC is also reduced
• Mild or no anaemia
• Normal RDW

3. Prevalence of β-thalassemia traits
in India
• Population :
1027015247
• Beta Thalassaemia
Traits : 40 million
(3.89% of total
population)
• Total Annual Births :
25.68 million
• Birth of 1 million
Thalassemia minor every
year

4. Materials and Method
• Fluorescence Flow-
cytometry using
semiconductor laser
• SLS-Haemoglobin
Method
Cation Exchange
High Performance
Liquid
Chromatography
Sysmex XT 1800i
Variant Express

5. Subjects of Study
Male Female
Normal 100 100
Anaemic 100 100
β-thalassemia carrier 102 100
HbE-carrier 76 100

6. Result

7. Result

8. Student’s t-test

9. Haemogram can reflects the possibilities of
β-thalassemia traits to some extent…
As the β-thalassemia carriers usually shows:
• MCV is < 80 fL, MCH < 27 pg and MCHC is also
reduced
• RDW is increased due to the co-existent iron or
vitamin B12/ folic acid deficiency
• RBC count is relatively high in relation to Hb level
• Hb may be normal or reduced to 9 – 11 g/dl

10. But haemogram is inefficient to indicate the
possibilities of HbE carrier
As the HbE Hererozygous usually:
• No anaemia or no reticulocytosis is noted
• MCV and MCH are normal in most cases and the
variation is statistically non-significant while
compared with anaemic control

11. General practitioners may ignore to advise
premarital thalassemia screening for the
persons having normal haemogram
…ensuing unidentified HbE carrier in
community
When these unidentified HbE carrier get married
with other β-thalassemia carrier and HbS carrier then
severe haemoglobinopathies will develop within their
children

13. Hence premarital thalassemia screening
by HPLC is essential along with the
individual’s haemogram pattern

14. Thank You