Sabine Braat, Katherine L Fielding, Jiru Han, Victoria E Jackson, Sophie Zaloumis, Jessica Xu Hui Xu, Gemma Moir-Meyer, Sophia M Blaauwendraad, Vincent W V Jaddoe, Romy Gaillard, Patricia C Parkin, Cornelia M Borkhoff, Charles D G Keown-Stoneman, Catherine S Birken, Jonathon L Maguire, Melanie Bahlo, Eliza M Davidson, Sant-Rayn Pasricha
BACKGROUND: Detection of anaemia is crucial for clinical medicine and public health. Current WHO anaemia definitions are based on statistical thresholds (fifth centiles) set more than 50 years ago. We sought to establish evidence for the statistical haemoglobin thresholds for anaemia that can be applied globally and inform WHO and clinical guidelines. METHODS: In this analysis we identified international data sources from populations in the USA, England, Australia, China, the Netherlands, Canada, Ecuador, and Bangladesh with sufficient clinical and laboratory information collected between 1998 and 2020 to obtain a healthy reference sample...
February 29, 2024: Lancet Haematology