Anaemia ( Anemia ) : Microcytic causes

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Microcytic, hypochromic anemia is characterized by circulating red blood cells (RBCs) that are smaller than normal (microcytic) and have reduced hemoglobin content, giving them a pale appearance (hypochromic). The most common cause of microcytic anemia is iron deficiency, which can result from various factors such as insufficient dietary iron intake, poor iron absorption in the gastrointestinal tract, acute and chronic blood loss, and increased iron requirements during pregnancy or recovery from major trauma or surgery.

Microcytic anemia is diagnosed by the presence of small, often hypochromic, red blood cells in a peripheral blood smear and is typically characterized by a low mean corpuscular volume (MCV) of less than 80 fL. Iron deficiency is the predominant cause, but other conditions such as anemia of chronic disease, thalassemia, and sideroblastic anemia can also lead to microcytic anemia.

The most definitive test for diagnosing iron deficiency is the absence of iron stores in the bone marrow. However, non-invasive tests such as measuring serum ferritin, serum iron concentration, transferrin saturation, total iron-binding capacity (TIBC), and serum transferrin receptors can also provide valuable information and may eliminate the need for bone marrow evaluation.

Iron homeostasis in the human body is primarily maintained through the...