Association of body mass index with hemoglobin level, erythrocyte indices and red cell distribution width.

Abstract

Objectives: Objective of this study is to evaluate the association of body mass index with hemoglobin Level, erythrocyte Indices and red cell distribution width in medical students of Baqai Medical University Karachi. Study Design: Descriptive cross - sectional study. Setting: Physiology Department of Baqai Medical University Karachi. Period: 15 February 2017 to 15 August 2017. Material & Methods: A total of 500 students were enrolled in this study. The anthropometric measurement [height (m²) and weight (kg)] was recorded for calculation of the Body Mass Index and Complete blood count i-e Hemoglobin%, erythrocyte indices {Mean corpuscular volume(MCV), Mean corpuscular hemoglobin(MCH), Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), Red cell distribution width (RDW) were done and Mentzer’s Index was calculated. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22.0 was used to analyze the collected data. Results: It was observed in 500 medical students that 36% of the students were having low hemoglobin % level, while low values of erythrocyte indices (MCH: 38.0%, MCV 36.6% and MCHC 39.0% respectively)  and 93.8% of participants had a higher values of RDW in study participants. Iron deficiency anemia (87.2%) and thalassemia (carrier or minor: 12.8%) were determined by using Menterzer Index. Mean body mass index of study participants were 23.04±3.68 and it was observed in study participants that only RDW was significantly associated with obese students (X²=9.878, p=0.02). Conclusion: With regard to our study results, higher percentage (87.2%) of Iron deficiency anemia were observed and having association between red cell distribution width to obesity.