The association between microcytic anemias and spirometric parameters

Introduction: Microcytic anemia is a type of anemia with smaller than normal red blood cells. Iron deficiency anemia and thalassemia are some of the major causes. The aim of the study was to compare the pulmonary function of the subjects with microcytic anemia to the respective results of the normal population. Material and methods: This was a cross-sectional study in Bandar Abbas, Iran, conducted on the patients attending yearly occupational health checkups. Complete blood cell count and a standard spirogram were attained from each consenting participant and occupational histories of exposure to dust, fumes, solvents, and noxious gases were obtained. Results: At last, 2,199 subjects were included in the analysis, of which 335 cases had microcytic anemia. There was a significant association between having microcytic anemia and forced vital capacity (FVC) reduction, and to a lesser degree, the reduction of forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1). These parameters were also significantly increased together with the rise of mean corpuscular volume (MCV) in the sample population. Conclusion: It can be concluded that having microcytic anemia may reduce some spirometric parameters. Even though these changes are small, adjusting for the reduced values can help prevent an overestimation of lung disorders, mostly in borderline cases.