Defination and Treatment of Anaemia

ANAEMIA:-

Anaemia is defined as a low haemoglobin level (less than 13.5 g/dl in males and less than 13.5 gm/dl in females). The common causes of anaemia in India includes,reduced production due to deficiency of iron, folic acid, rarely vitamin B₁₂, or an ineffective erythropoiesis secondary to many causes (anaemia of chronic disease, secondary to infections and inflammation, endocrinal disorders, primary bone marrow disorders like infiltration or hypoplasia), blood loss (which also leads to iron deficiency) and increased destruction of RBCs (haemolysis due to many causes of which thalassaemia is the commonest).

Salient features:-

• Tiredness, weakness and lack of desire to work.
• Nails and tongue look pale. Severe anaemia produces general pallor and swelling of feet.
• Most aetiologies may be determined on the basis of MCV performed in an accurate cell counter as follows:
• Low MCV – Iron deficiency or haemoglobfnopathy like thalassaemia.
• High MCV – Folic acid or B₁₂ Less commonly alcohol intake, liver disease, haemolysis and hypothyroidism.
• Normal MCV – Anaemia of chronic disease, primary bone marrow disorders, renal failure, haemolysis.

In case of associated leucocyte and platelet abnormalities or if anaemia does not respond to therapy in 4 weeks despite correcting the apparent cause, a bone marrow examination by aspiration/biopsy should be performed

Pharmacological treatment:-

Iron deficiency anaemia

• Treat the underlying cause: menorrhagia in women, gastrointestinal blood loss in all age groups including hookworm infestation, dietary deficiency, rarely malabsorption
• Tab. ferrous sulfate 200 mg 3 times a day
• Reduce the dose as haemoglobin rises to over 10 g/dl. Once haemoglobin is normal, continue with 1 tablet daily for at least three months
• Other preparations of iron are not superior, but they can be tried if patient does not find ferrous sulfate suitable. These include ferrous fumarate and ferrous gluconate. The rate of rise of haemoglobin should be 1 g/dl per week
• If this does not occur, consider ongoing blood loss, noncompliance, and associated haemoglobinopathy like thalassaemia carrier status, malabsorption, or an incorrect diagnosis
• Parenteral iron does not lead to a faster rise in haemoglobin. It is indicated in the following situations: (i) malabsorption of iron, (ii) intolerance of oral iron, (iii) in late pregnancy to ensure that foetal stores of iron are replenished rapidly, (iv) if ongoing blood loss exceeds the capacity to absorb oral iron (like in inoperable malignancy) and (v) in noncompliant patient. There is danger of anaphylactoid reactions; hence facilities to manage these should be readily available

Folic acid deficiency:-

• Treat the cause: Dietary deficiency, increased requirement as in pregnancy and children, haemolytic anaemia
• Tab. folic acid 5 mg daily. This dose is adequate even in malabsorption syndrome

Vitamin B₁₂ deficiency:-

• Treat the cause: Dietary deficiency in vegetarians, pernicious anaemia. Although uncommon, it is also under diagnosed due to lack of facilities
• Tab. vitamin B complex, as in haematinic tablets. Or Inj. B₁₂ 1000 mcg IM, one injection on alternate days for total 5 injections, then once a week for 5 weeks, then once in 3 to 6 months will be adequate for most patients

Patient education:-

• Educate the patient about preventive measures for worm infestation
• Inform about importance of taking adequate food with green leafy vegetables to meet the nutritional requirement
• Cooking food in iron utensils may increase iron content in the diet
• Instruct the patient to take iron tablets after food; iron tablets sometimes produce stomach upset
• Inform the patient that the stools could turn black during iron therapy
• Reduce the dose of iron if it produces stomach ache, diarrhoea or constipation
• Explain that the response to iron therapy is gradual and it takes weeks or months for blood to become normal. Continue iron tablets for six months
• Keep iron tablets out of the reach of children. They may swallow the tablets as candies causing adverse reactions including death

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