Abstract:
ABSTRACT… Objective: This study aims to determine diagnostic accuracy of peripheral blood
smear and automated haematology analyzer and to determine frequency of different types
of anemia diagnosed by peripheral blood smear and automated hematology analyzer. Study
Design: Cross Sectional study. Setting: Department of Pathology, Rawal Institute of Health
Sciences, Islamabad. Period: November 2015 to April 2016. Material & Methods: Sample size
of 149 suspected anemia patients was calculated using WHO calculator with 95% confidence
interval. Diagnostic accuracy and frequency of anemia types was measured. Chi-square and
fissure exact test and ROC curve analysis was applied and significant (p<0.05) results were
reported. Results: Total 149 patients were included in study. There were 42(28.2%) male
and 107(71.8%) female. Mean age of patients was 35.1±2.1SD. Peripheral blood smear and
automated haematology analyzer showed sensitivity (68% vs 92%), specificity (59% vs 88%),
PPV (72% vs 92%), NPV (55% vs 88%) and diagnostic accuracy (64% vs 91) respectively. Most
common type of anemia diagnosed with peripheral blood smear was microcytic hypochromic
anemia with raised RDW 36.7% followed by normocytic normochromic anemia with raised RDW
13.3% and macrocytic anemia (p=0.001) while in automated haematology analyzer microc ytic
hypochromic anemia with raised RDW54.4% followed by normochromic normocytic anemoia
with normal RDW 11.1% (p=0.000). Conclusion: Automated haematyology analyzer had high
diagnostic accuracy for diagnosis of anemia. Microcytic hypochromic anemia and normocytic
normochromic are most common anemias diagnosed by peripheral blood smear and automated
hematology analyzer and peripheral blood smear cannot be completely replaced by automated
haemolytic analyzer. However, if both methods are used simultaneously, more accurate results
can be obtained.
