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

Table 3

Evaluation of ferritin among students (n = 30) with low MCV and/or MCH (level 1) in relation to hemoglobin level, HbA₂ (level 2) and DNA genotype (level 3).

Level 1 (low MCV/MCH); N = 30	Level 2; Hb electrophoresis (HbA2)			Level 3 DNA genotype
	2–3.5	>3.5	>>>
(i) Not anemia (n = 16)
(1) Ferritin low (n = 1)	1			Βeta (β): IVS1-nt5 [G > C] heterozygote + coexistent IDA
(2) Ferritin normal (n = 15)			3	Confirmed HbE: codon 26 [G > A] heterozygote
	4			No alpha (α) deletion or mutation found, need further exploration
	4			Alpha (α): single α-globin gene deletion 3.7 kb type heterozygote
	3			Alpha (α): double α-globin gene deletion SEA type heterozygote
(ii) Anemia (n = 14)
(1) Ferritin low (n = 6)	4			No-α deletion or mutation; suggesting IDA
	1			Alpha (α): 3.7 kb triplicated α gene heterozygote + coexistent IDA
	1			Alpha (α): α2 cd 59 [GGC > GAC] heterozygote + coexistent IDA
(2) Ferritin normal (n = 8)
	3			Alpha (α): double α-globin gene deletion SEA type heterozygote
	1			Alpha (α): α2 cd 142 [TAA > CAA] (Hb constant spring) heterozygote
	1			Alpha (α): α2 cd 59 [GGC > GAC] heterozygote
		1		Beta (β): IVS1-nt5 [G > C] heterozygote

Note. Anemia was designated as Hb < 12.0 g/dL for females and Hb < 13.0 g/dL for males. One sample DNA examination failed. Two samples DNA examination failed. Point of interest; IDA with coexistence confirmed alpha ().