Ocan Apollo, Oyet Caesar, Webbo Fred, Mwambi Bashir, Taremwa Ivan Mugisha
Institute of Allied Health Sciences, Clarke International University, Kampala, Uganda,
Lancet Laboratories, Kampala, Uganda.
J Blood Med. 2018 Oct 30;9:195-201. doi: 10.2147/JBM.S184126. eCollection 2018.
AIM/OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence, severity, morphological characterization, and the associated factors of anemia among children under the age of 5 years at St. Mary's Hospital Lacor, Gulu District, Northern Uganda.
A structured questionnaire was administered to each participant's parent/caregiver to collect data on sociodemographic factors, feeding pattern, and history of chronic illness. Hemoglobin (Hb) estimation was performed using a HemoCue 201 analyzer. Peripheral thin and thick blood films were made from venous blood and stained with Giemsa to morphologically characterize red blood cells (RBCs) and investigate hemoparasites, respectively. We collected and examined stool specimens from each participant using wet preparations and formol-ether concentration technique for intestinal parasites. Descriptive statistics was used to describe study participants and to determine the prevalence of anemia. Logistic regression analysis was done to determine the factors associated with acquiring anemia at a -value≤ 0.05.
The study enrolled 343 children below the age of 5 years. Of these, 62.7% (N=215) were females. The IQR, median, and mean Hb levels were 5.1±3.2 g/dL, 8.2 g/dL, and 7.9 g/dL, respectively. Overall, 160 (46.6%, 95% CI: 42.1-51.46) children had anemia. The magnitude of severe, moderate, and mild anemia was 11.9%, 58.8%, and 29.4%, respectively. Morphologic characterization of anemia revealed hypochromic-microcytic (65.4%, N=106), hypochromic-macrocytic (15.4%, N=25), and normochromic-microcytic (19.1%, N=31) anemia. Factors associated with anemia were parasitic infestation, history of chronic disease, lack of complementary foods, complementary feeding for not more than twice a month, and households' with annual income less than 200,000 Ugandan Shillings.
We report the high prevalence of anemia among children below 5 years of age in Gulu District, Northern Uganda. Thus, strategies geared at addressing the etiologic causes (such as, nutrient deficiency and parasitic infections) are key to reduce it in the region.
本研究旨在确定乌干达北部古卢区拉科尔圣玛丽医院5岁以下儿童贫血的患病率、严重程度、形态特征及相关因素。
向每位参与者的父母/照顾者发放一份结构化问卷，以收集社会人口学因素、喂养模式和慢性病病史的数据。使用HemoCue 201分析仪进行血红蛋白（Hb）测定。从静脉血制作外周血薄涂片和厚涂片，分别用吉姆萨染色以对红细胞（RBC）进行形态学特征分析和调查血液寄生虫。我们使用湿片法和甲醛 - 乙醚浓缩技术收集并检查每位参与者的粪便标本以检测肠道寄生虫。描述性统计用于描述研究参与者并确定贫血的患病率。进行逻辑回归分析以确定在α值≤0.05时与患贫血相关的因素。
该研究纳入了343名5岁以下儿童。其中，62.7%（N = 215）为女性。四分位距、中位数和平均Hb水平分别为5.1±3.2 g/dL、8.2 g/dL和7.9 g/dL。总体而言，160名（46.6%，95%可信区间：42.1 - 51.46）儿童患有贫血。重度、中度和轻度贫血的比例分别为11.9%、58.8%和29.4%。贫血的形态学特征显示低色素小细胞性贫血（65.4%，N = 106）、低色素大细胞性贫血（15.4%，N = 25）和正色素小细胞性贫血（19.1%，N = 31）。与贫血相关的因素有寄生虫感染、慢性病病史、缺乏辅食、每月辅食喂养不超过两次以及家庭年收入低于200,000乌干达先令。
我们报告了乌干达北部古卢区5岁以下儿童贫血的高患病率。因此，针对病因（如营养缺乏和寄生虫感染）的策略是该地区降低贫血患病率的关键。
