Evaluation of Anemia in the Pediatric Population in an Academic Medical Center: An Institutional Study from a Low- and Middle-income Country

BACKGROUND: Globally, almost 40% of children < 5 years of age suffer from anemia, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) report. Children admitted to noncritical hospital settings may be overlooked for evaluation of anemia while getting treatment for their medical and surgical issues. AIMS: This study aimed to evaluate the frequency, clinical associations, and complications of anemia in pediatric patients in noncritical care settings. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective cohort study was conducted at an academic medical center hospital in Pakistan. In 2023, patients aged 2-18 and both sexes were studied for anemia and its severity using WHO-defined hemoglobin cutoffs. The clinical and laboratory details were collected through an in-house computerized system and analyzed through SPSS v19. RESULTS: We scanned 3001 admitted children, and 346 (11.5%) were anemic, with moderate anemia in 204/346 (59%). Hypochromic microcytic anemia was the most frequent (n = 189 or 54.6%). Children between 5 and 11 years were the predominant group (126/346 or 36%) suffering from anemia. Evaluation of anemia was conducted in only 75/346 (21.6%), and treatment was given to 106/346 (30.6%) patients. Median (IQR1-3) hemoglobin in patients (n = 77) who received red cell transfusions was significantly less (8.6 g/dl (7.7-9.7) compared to those who did not (10.6 g/dl [9.6-10.9] (P = 0.000). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings highlight that pediatric anemia remains underrecognized and undertreated in noncritical hospital settings, particularly among children aged 5-11 years. The lack of evaluation or treatment in two-thirds of cases underscores an urgent need for systematic screening protocols and targeted guidelines to improve anemia management in similar healthcare environments.