Hematology Study on Stunting Children in Sampuabalo, Coastal Area of Buton: Effect of Nutritional Status on Red Blood Cell Profile

Abstract

Introduction: Stunting, is driven by chronic malnutrition and adverse conditions. Analyzing red blood cell (RBC) profiles offers insights into nutritional status and anemia risk. This study assessed the RBC profiles of stunted children in a coastal area and the factors influencing them.
Methods: 103 children which consisted of normo-stature (NS), stunted (S) dan severely stunted (SS), aged 2-5 years lived in Sampuabalo, Buton, Southeast Sulawesi. Hemoglobin (HGB), hematocrit (HCT), erythrocyte indices (MCV, MCH, MCHC), and RDW were examined using a hematology analyzer and compared between the NS, S, and SS groups using SPSS program
Results: The MCV, MCH, and MCHC values were lower significantly in SS boys than NS boys (p MCV = 0.048, p MCH = 0.045, and p MCHC = 0.030, respectively). Of stunted boys, 87% had low MCV (<76 fl) with an incidence risk (OR) of 4.706 times. The red cell distribution width (RDW) value in SS boys (15.85 (14.00-17.50) %) was significantly higher than NS boys (14.60 (12.60-16.70) %) (p = 0.028). The HGB in SS girls (11.40(6.30-16.70) g/dL) was lower significantly than S girls (12.00(5.80-20.20) g/dL) (p= 0.036). Erythrocytes and HCT were higher in S girls compared to NS girls (p=0.030 and p=0.031, respectively).
Conclusions: The lower MCV, MCH, and MCHC in boys, indicating possible microcytic hypochromic anemia, often associated with iron deficiency or iron metabolism disorders. Similarly, low HGB and higher HCT and erythrocytes in SS girls indicated possible anemia and dehydration...