Diagnostic Accuracy of Hemoglobin Levels and Red Blood Cell Parameters for Iron Deficiency in Adolescents: A Cross-Sectional Study

Objective. To assess the performance of hemoglobin level and red blood cell parameters (mean corpuscular volume [MCV], mean corpuscular hemoglobin [MCH], mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration [MCHC], and red blood cell distribution width [RDW]) in the diagnosis of iron deficiency among adolescents in eastern Sudan. Methods. A cross-sectional study. Results. Of 374 adolescents. The median age was 14.1 years. Of the participants, 62 (16.6%) had iron deficiency (serum ferritin level of < 15 µg/l). The hemoglobin, MCV, MCH, and MCHC values were significantly lower in adolescents with iron deficiency. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was 0.71 for hemoglobin, 0.60 for MCV, 0.67 for MCH, 0.71 for MCHC, and 0.73 for RDW. Conclusion. In the current study, hemoglobin and red blood cell parameters were fairly accurate in diagnosing iron deficiency. They can be used to diagnose iron deficiency to avoid extra expense for the patients.