Diagnosis of Anemia
Anemia is diagnosed based on the patient's symptoms and from various laboratory tests.1 As anemia is best defined in relation to hemoglobin (Hb) and hematocrit (HCT) levels below the normal reference range, the first test used to diagnose anemia is a complete blood count (CBC).
Anemia is diagnosed when the Hb and HCT readings are as below:
- Men: Hb is <13 g/dL and HCT is between 41 and 53%.
- Women: Hb is <12 g/dL and HCT is between 36 and 46%.
- Children aged 6 months to 6 years: Hb <11 g/dL.
- Children aged 6 –14 years: Hb <12 g/dL.
Other common blood investigations include the following:
- Serum iron and transferrin level
- Serum folate and vitamin B12
- Hemoglobin electrophoresis
- Endoscopy to detect gastrointestinal bleeding