Age- and sex-specific patterns of microcytic anemia in adolescence: implications for screening.
Microcytic anemia prevalence rises with age in adolescent females, unlike in males.
Age- and sex-specific patterns of microcytic anemia in adolescence: implications for screening.
We performed a retrospective Electronic Health Record (Electronic Health Record)-based study using data from Clalit Health Services (Clalit Health Services), the largest health maintenance organization in Israel.
12.5% of females aged 17-18 had microcytic anemia, the highest rate seen among girls.
Among males, prevalence declined from 18.9% at age 12-13 to 2.1% at ages 17-18.
This resulted in a reversal of the sex distribution of microcytic anemia prevalence during mid-adolescence, with females exceeding males from approximately age 15 onward.
WHAT IS KNOWN: • Iron deficiency anemia remains common in adolescents, particularly among females in high-income countries. • Prevalence estimates vary widely due to differences in definitions, populations, and study designs. • There are no universally accepted guidelines for routine anemia screening in adolescents, and current practices are inconsistent.
Microcytic anemia demonstrates distinct age- and sex-specific patterns during adolescence.
The increasing prevalence among females and declining prevalence among males suggest that targeted screening of adolescent girls during mid-adolescence may be an efficient strategy for identifying microcytic anemia, a condition commonly associated with iron deficiency in this age group.
WHAT IS KNOWN: • Iron deficiency anemia remains common in adolescents, particularly among females in high-income countries.