Anemia among Medical Students from Jakarta: Indonesia—Iron Deficiency or Carrier Thalassemia?

Table 2

Complete blood count examination (level 1) followed by Hb variant A₂ (level 2) and DNA confirmation (level 3) among medical students from a private university in Jakarta (n = 140).

Level 1		Level 2
MCV and/or MCH	Hb level	HbA2
		2–3.5%	>3.5%	>>>13%
		n (%)	n (%)	n (%)
Low (n = 39)	Not anemia	20 (14.3)	0	3 (2.1)
	Anemia	15 (10.7)	1 (0.7)	0
Normal (n = 101)	Not anemia	98 (70.0)	0	0
	Anemia	3 (2.1)	0	0

Note. Cd26 (G > A) heterozygote; IVS1nt5 heterozygote; further DNA analysis needed whether iron deficiency anemia or alpha. Thalassemia carrier. Need iron therapy first.