AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To compare and analyze blood cell(RBC) and platelet parameters in

Iron Deficiency Anemia (IDA) patients with individuals without anemia and to establish the correlation between platelet size parameters especially mean Platelet Volume (MPV), Platelet Distribution Width (PDW) with RBC parameters.

MATERIALAND METHODS: Totally 150 subjects (75 with IDA and 75 without anemia) were

included. Blood samples analyzed for RBC parameters with iron profile and platelet parameters. RESULTS: The difference in mean hemoglobin (Hb), RBC count, hematocrit (HCT), Mean corpuscular volume (MCV), Mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), Red cell Distribution Width (RDW), Serum iron, serum ferritin levels and similarly the difference in mean Platelet count, Plateletcrit (PCT), MPV and PDW between patients with IDA and those without anemia were statistically significant (p<0.05). Significant direct linear relationship between PDW, MPV and RDW and a significant inverse linear relationship between Platelet count with Hb, RBC count, HCT, MCH, MCHC, serum iron and serum ferritin, MPV with HCT, MCH, MCHC, serum iron and PCT with MCH, MCHC. The following parameters were noticed and were statistically significant(p<0.05)

CONCLUSION : Our study demonstrates a significant association between RBC and platelet

parameters in IDA. We speculate that platelets in IDA are increased, more aggregableand hence an increased risk of thrombosis owing to increased MPV and PDW. This insight should pave the way for pathophysiology-directed therapy, thus contributing to the avoidance of thrombosis associated with IDAand the importance of close monitoring in these patients.