Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Medical Center, Srinakharinwirot University, Nakhon Nayok, Thailand.
College of Medicine and Public Health, Ubon Ratchathani University, Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand.
Sci Rep. 2022 Nov 4;12(1):18643. doi: 10.1038/s41598-022-22016-3.
Anemia is a major public health problem in many areas of Southeast Asia. Ascertaining anemia and defining its underlying causes is essential for providing appropriate care, management, and establishment of a control program. Limited studies on these have been carried out on people living at the borders of Thailand, Lao PDR, and Cambodia. This cross-sectional study was done in four areas along the borders of Thailand, Lao PDR, and Cambodia. Blood specimens were collected from subjects aged 15-18 years in four districts including Kantharalak, Si Sa Ket province (n = 36), Nam Khun (n = 109), Nam Yuen (n = 98), and Na Chaluai (n = 128), Ubon Ratchathani province, Thailand. RBC parameters were recorded, and serum ferritin (SF) level was measured. Diagnosis of thalassemia and hemoglobinopathies was based on hemoglobin (Hb) and DNA analyses. Measurement of C-reactive protein was performed to exclude false-negative result of iron deficiency. The prevalence of anemia was found to be 25.1%. ID accounted for only 10.5%. Various types of thalassemia were identified in 67.7% of the subjects. The overall prevalence of thalassemia included 3.5% α-thalassemia, 0.8% β-thalassemia, 47.7% Hb E, and 53.6% α-thalassemia. The proportions of ID, thalassemia and combined ID and thalassemia among anemic subjects were 6.5%, 66.6%, and 20.4%, respectively. The results indicate that thalassemia and hemoglobinopathies rather than ID are major causes of anemia in Thailand-Lao PDR-Cambodia triangle. This information should prove useful for implementing an anemia control program in the regions.
贫血是东南亚许多地区的一个主要公共卫生问题。确定贫血症及其根本原因对于提供适当的护理、管理和建立控制计划至关重要。在泰国、老挝和柬埔寨边境地区生活的人群中，对此进行的研究有限。本横断面研究在泰国、老挝和柬埔寨边境的四个地区进行。从泰国乌汶叻差他尼府四个地区（堪他拉叻区 36 人、那坤他尼区 109 人、楠府 98 人、那空叻差是玛区 128 人）年龄在 15-18 岁的研究对象中采集血样。记录红细胞参数，并测量血清铁蛋白（SF）水平。根据血红蛋白（Hb）和 DNA 分析诊断地中海贫血和血红蛋白病。进行 C 反应蛋白测量以排除缺铁的假阴性结果。贫血的患病率为 25.1%。缺铁性贫血（ID）仅占 10.5%。67.7%的研究对象存在各种类型的地中海贫血。总体地中海贫血患病率包括 3.5%α-地中海贫血、0.8%β-地中海贫血、47.7%HbE 和 53.6%α-地中海贫血。在贫血患者中，ID、地中海贫血和 ID 与地中海贫血合并的比例分别为 6.5%、66.6%和 20.4%。结果表明，在泰老柬三角地区，导致贫血的主要原因是地中海贫血和血红蛋白病，而非 ID。这些信息对于在该地区实施贫血控制计划将非常有用。
