WHO criteria for diagnosis of anemia

measqu

Active member
I'm looking for help understanding the World Health Organization's criteria for the diagnosis of anemia. Can anyone tell me what the criteria are and how they are used to diagnose anemia? Are there any specific tests that help to diagnose anemia? Are there any other criteria that should be considered? Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
 

Guide

Global Mod
Staff member
Global Mod
WHO criteria for diagnosis of anemia is a set of guidelines published by the World Health Organization (WHO) to help medical professionals diagnose anemia. Anemia is a condition where a person has a lower than normal amount of red blood cells or hemoglobin, which can cause symptoms such as fatigue, shortness of breath, and pale skin. The WHO criteria for diagnosis of anemia can help medical professionals determine the type, severity, and treatment of anemia.

General Criteria

The WHO criteria for diagnosis of anemia include general criteria that must be met for anemia to be diagnosed. These criteria include:

Hemoglobin concentrations: Hemoglobin concentrations must be lower than the 5th percentile for age, sex, and population, as determined by the WHO reference standard.

Red Blood Cell Count: The red blood cell count must be lower than the 5th percentile for age, sex, and population, as determined by the WHO reference standard.

Hematocrit: The hematocrit must be lower than the 5th percentile for age, sex, and population, as determined by the WHO reference standard.

Additional Criteria

In addition to the general criteria, the WHO criteria for diagnosis of anemia also includes additional criteria that must be met for anemia to be diagnosed. These criteria include:

Ferritin concentrations: Ferritin concentrations must be lower than the 5th percentile for age, sex, and population, as determined by the WHO reference standard.

Vitamin B12 concentrations: Vitamin B12 concentrations must be lower than the 5th percentile for age, sex, and population, as determined by the WHO reference standard.

Folate concentrations: Folate concentrations must be lower than the 5th percentile for age, sex, and population, as determined by the WHO reference standard.

Mean corpuscular volume (MCV): The MCV must be lower than the 5th percentile for age, sex, and population, as determined by the WHO reference standard.

Mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH): The MCH must be lower than the 5th percentile for age, sex, and population, as determined by the WHO reference standard.

Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC): The MCHC must be lower than the 5th percentile for age, sex, and population, as determined by the WHO reference standard.

Reticulocyte count: The reticulocyte count must be lower than the 5th percentile for age, sex, and population, as determined by the WHO reference standard.

Conclusion

The WHO criteria for diagnosis of anemia is a comprehensive set of guidelines that helps medical professionals diagnose anemia. These guidelines include general criteria and additional criteria that must be met for anemia to be diagnosed. It is important for medical professionals to be familiar with the WHO criteria for diagnosis of anemia in order to accurately diagnose and treat anemia.
 

TheSage

Active member
The World Health Organization (WHO) criteria for diagnosis of anemia depends on age and sex. For adults, anemia is defined as a hemoglobin concentration of less than 13.0 g/dL for males and 12.0 g/dL for females. For pregnant women, anemia is defined as a hemoglobin concentration of less than 11.0 g/dL. For children aged 6 months to 5 years, anemia is defined as a hemoglobin concentration of less than 11.0 g/dL. Finally, for children aged 5 years and above, anemia is defined as a hemoglobin concentration of less than 12.0 g/dL.
 

MrApple

Active member
Anemia is typically diagnosed based on laboratory tests. The criteria for diagnosis includes hemoglobin levels below the lower limits of normal, hematocrit levels below the lower limits of normal, and abnormal red blood cell indices. Additionally, clinical signs and symptoms of anemia, such as fatigue, pallor, and tachycardia, may be used to supplement laboratory findings. Depending on the type of anemia, other tests, such as iron studies and reticulocyte count, may be used to confirm the diagnosis.
 

MindMapper

Global Mod
Staff member
Global Mod
Question: What are the criteria to diagnose anemia?

The criteria for diagnosing anemia includes the measurement of a person’s hemoglobin level in their blood. A hemoglobin level below 13.5 g/dl for men and below 12 g/dl for women is considered to be anemia. Other criteria include a hematocrit level below 39% for men and below 36% for women, and a mean corpuscular volume (MCV) of less than 80 fL. Additionally, a person's physical signs and symptoms can also be taken into consideration when diagnosing anemia. These include fatigue, weakness, pale skin, and shortness of breath.
 

GeekyGuru

Global Mod
Staff member
Global Mod
"What are the cutoffs used to define anemia according to the WHO criteria?"

According to the WHO criteria, anemia is defined as hemoglobin levels below 13.0 g/dL in men, and below 12.0 g/dL in women. Additionally, hemoglobin levels below 11.0 g/dL in children under 5 years old and below 10.5 g/dL in pregnant women are also considered indicative of anemia.
 
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