Epidemiological, Clinical, and Etiological Profile of Iron Deficiency Anemia in Adults in Southern Morocco: A Five-Year Retrospective Study.

BACKGROUND

Iron deficiency anemia is the most common nutritional anemia worldwide, but data on adults in southern Morocco remain limited. This study aimed to describe the epidemiological, clinical, biological, and etiological characteristics of adults with iron deficiency anemia managed at a tertiary referral center in southern Morocco.

METHODOLOGY: We conducted a retrospective, descriptive, single-center study of adults aged 18 years or older diagnosed with iron deficiency anemia at the Department of Clinical Hematology and Cell Therapy of the Lalla Salma Regional Oncology Center in Agadir, Morocco, between January 2018 and December 2022. Demographic, clinical, laboratory, and etiological data were collected from medical records.

RESULTS

Among 340 adults evaluated for anemia, 103 (30.3%) had iron deficiency anemia. The median age was 43 years (interquartile range (IQR), 28-54 years), and 78/103 patients (75.7%) were women. Fatigue was the most common presenting symptom (73/103, 70.9%), and mucocutaneous pallor was found on examination in 94/103 patients (91.3%). The mean hemoglobin level was 6.76 ± 1.92 g/dL, and anemia was severe in 77/103 patients (74.8%). The median serum ferritin level was 3.8 µg/L (IQR, 2.0-7.0). An underlying etiology was identified in 74/103 patients (71.8%). Blood loss was the leading mechanism (40/103, 38.8%), predominantly gynecological (30/78, 38.5%), followed by impaired iron absorption (27/103, 26.2%), mainly related to Helicobacter pylori infection (23/103, 22.3%).

CONCLUSION

Among adults with iron deficiency anemia managed in this tertiary hematology referral setting, women predominated, and severe anemia was frequent at presentation. Gynecological and gastrointestinal causes were the most frequently documented etiologies. Appropriate etiological evaluation is essential to improve management.