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Updated: Aug 10, 2026
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A Point-of-Care Method with Integrated Decision Support Tool to Estimate Anemia at Population Level
Published on: January 19, 2024
Emergency Room as a Window for Identifying Undiagnosed Anemia: a Clinical Evaluation
Clinical Laboratory
|August 8, 2026
Summary
Undiagnosed anemia affects over a quarter of adult emergency department visitors in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Early screening in emergency departments can help detect anemia and prevent complications.
Area of Science:
- Hematology
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Anemia is a significant global health issue with serious consequences, especially when undetected.
- Emergency departments (EDs) offer a key opportunity for opportunistic anemia screening.
- Data on undiagnosed anemia in Saudi Arabia are scarce, necessitating local investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of previously undiagnosed anemia among adult ED visitors in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
- To characterize the hematological profiles of these undiagnosed anemia cases.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study was conducted at Security Forces Hospital, Makkah, enrolling 135 adult patients without prior anemia diagnosis.
- Data included demographics and clinical information; hemoglobin (Hb) levels and red blood cell indices (MCV, MCH) were analyzed.
- Statistical analysis used SPSS, with significance set at p < 0.05.
Main Results:
- The prevalence of previously undiagnosed anemia was 27.4% (37/135 patients).
- Anemic patients exhibited significantly lower Hb levels (p < 0.001).
- The majority of anemia cases were normocytic (59.5%) or microcytic (37.8%), suggesting iron deficiency as a likely cause.
Conclusions:
- A substantial proportion of adult ED visitors in Makkah present with undiagnosed anemia.
- Routine anemia screening in emergency departments is recommended for early detection and intervention.
- Timely management of anemia can mitigate associated clinical complications.
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