Frequency of Nutritional Megaloblastic Anemia among Students in Khartoum, Sudan

Background: Megaloblastic anemia is a generative macrocytic anemia characterized by nuclear dysmaturity and the nucleus immature appearance in comparison to the cytoplasm due to a defect in DNA synthesis anemia is a rare ailment in children that is usually caused by a vitamin deficiency or gastrointestinal disorder Objectives: The main objective of this study was to detect the frequency of nutritional megaloblastic anemia in male elementary-school children by measuring hemoglobin (Hb), red blood cell (RBC) count, hematocrit (HCT), and serum folate levels. Methods: This study examined 300 male primary-school children in Khartoum, Sudan. A 2.5-ml of blood was drawn from each student and placed in an ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid (EDTA) vial to estimate the Hb level, RBC count, and HCT using an automated blood analyzer. Another 2.5 mL of blood were drawn from the same students into a plain container and examined for serum folate. Results: The mean Hb was 12.7 g/dl (two standard deviations), the RBC count was 4.71012 cells/L, and the mean packed cell volume (PCV) was 37.2%, and the mean serum folate was 4.4 ng/L. Conclusion: The blood parameters and serum folate were found to be within normal ranges. According to the findings, the nutritional status of the primary-school students was good, and megaloblastic anemia was not common. This type of research should be done on a frequent basis to assess children's nutritional health.