Presentation of a Computing System and Algorithm for Differentiating Beta Thalassemia Trait from Iron Deficiency Anemia

The prevalence of beta thalassemia trait (BTT) is estimated to be 240/000/000 cases around the world, and these patients are centralized in the thalassemia world belt map (TWBM). Marriage of the couples with BTT can result beta thalassemia major in their next generation. Any country located in the TWBM has applied a kind of screening test to find the symptomless cases of BTT and impose some preventive conditions for the marriages of the couples who both have BTT. The most efficient screening tools in this way are those that can differentiate the two most common microcytic anemia which are BTT and iron deficiency (ID) anemia. For example, NESTROFT (Naked Eye Single Tube Red Cell Osmotic Fragility Test) has been used as a screening tool in the India. Unfortunately, none of the current screening tests has sufficient sensitivity or specificity. We compared the red blood cell (RBC) indices of 250 patients with BTT and 250 cases with ID in the city of Esfahan in Iran from 2011 to 2016. We used an algorithm, as a novation, in the form of a software that its inputs were RBC indices. And found significant differences between the BTT calculation results and the results of the ID anemia. To find out the specificity and the sensitivity of our new screening tool we put the data of 100 patients with BTT and 100 patients with ID in the algorithm and estimated a sensitivity of 93% and a specificity of 94% for diagnosis of BTT from ID.