Etiology of Anemia in Adult Males In a South Indian Tertiary Care Hospital – A Clinical Study

Objective: Anaemia is a prevalent health condition with various etiological factors, contributing significantly to morbidity and mortality. This study investigates the causes of anaemia in adult male patients admitted to a tertiary care hospital in South India, with a focus on understanding the prevalence of different aetiologies and their impact on public health. Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted over a period of 18 months. A total of 75 male patients diagnosed with anaemia were included. Detailed clinical histories were obtained, followed by comprehensive laboratory investigations, including complete blood count (CBC), serum iron studies, vitamin B12 and folic acid levels, stool occult blood test (SOBT), endoscopy, and bone marrow aspiration. Results: The majority of patients were aged between 51-60 years (32.0%). Iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) was the most common aetiology, found in 37.3% of patients, followed by haematological malignancies (28.0%) and vitamin B12 deficiency (17.3%). Gastrointestinal (GI) malignancies were identified in 16.0% of cases. Peripheral smear examinations revealed microcytic hypochromic RBCs in 53.3% of cases. Endoscopic findings were normal in 82.6% of patients, and bone marrow examination revealed megaloblastic erythroid hyperplasia in 37.1% of cases. Conclusions: The study highlights iron deficiency anaemia as the leading cause of anaemia in adult males in our patient cohort, followed by haematological malignancies and vitamin B12 deficiency. Public health initiatives should focus on improving nutrition, early diagnosis, and management of anaemia, particularly in middle-aged and older male populations. Further studies are needed to explore the multifactorial aetiology and long-term outcomes of anaemia in this demographic.