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PA14.1-2 | Welcome to Iron Deficiency Anaemia: Pathogenesis to Lab Diagnosis
Learning Objectives
- State the global and Indian epidemiology of iron deficiency anaemia (IDA)
- Classify the four etiological buckets of IDA with clinical examples stratified by patient demographic
- Trace the pathogenesis of IDA through the three stages of iron depletion (building on SDL 1)
- Enumerate the specific clinical features of IDA — general anaemia signs and IDA-specific epithelial changes
- Interpret the complete laboratory workup of IDA: CBC, iron studies, peripheral smear, reticulocyte index, and bone marrow findings
- Apply a 'Find-the-Cause' clinical framework to guide the workup of newly diagnosed IDA
- Outline principles of iron replacement therapy and criteria for therapeutic response
INSTRUCTIONS
IDA is the anaemia you will encounter most often — in OPD, in wards, in obstetrics, and in your own family. Knowing IDA is not optional for a clinician. This module builds directly on the iron metabolism physiology you studied in SDL 1. You already know the stages of iron depletion and how hepcidin regulates iron. Now we apply that framework to the world's most prevalent nutritional deficiency disorder — affecting over 500 million people and 50% of Indian women of reproductive age. Work through every section actively: pause at the lab tables and interpret the numbers yourself before reading the explanation. Complete all three micro-quizzes. The case challenge at the end is the kind of clinical decision you will face as a PG resident — think before scrolling to the answer.
References
- Robbins & Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease, 10th ed. — Chapter 14: Red Cell and Bleeding Disorders (textbook)
- Harsh Mohan — Textbook of Pathology, 8th ed. — Chapter 13: Disorders of Red Blood Cells (textbook)
- Hoffbrand & Moss — Essential Haematology, 7th ed. — Chapter 3: Iron Deficiency Anaemia (textbook)
- WHO — Haemoglobin concentrations for the diagnosis of anaemia and assessment of severity (2011) (guideline)
- National Family Health Survey 5 (NFHS-5, 2019-21) — Anaemia prevalence data, India (national_data)
Version 2.0 | NMC CBUC 2024