Niaz Maqsood, Naima Niaz, Tariq Mehmood Arain, Bushra Akram, Asma Shaukat, Shoaib Luqman, Masroor Ali Qazi.
Spectrum of anemia in drug addicts in tertiary care facility, Bahawalpur District.
Pak J Pathol Jan ;18(4):116-8.

Aim of study: To determine spectrum of anaemia in addicts in tertiary care facility Department of Psychiatry, Quaid-e-Azam Medical College, Bahawal Victoria Hospital, Bahawalpur. Study design: Cross sectional. Place and duration: The study was conducted in Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Bahawal Victoria Hospital, Bahawalpur; a teaching hospital affiliated with Quaid-e-Azam Medical College. Subject and methods: Hundred drug addicts (97 Males, 3 Females) who were taking morphine, heroin, alcohol and benzodiazepine for at least 2 Years were included in the study. Then haematological and biochemical profile was studied to differentiate the type of anaemia they are suffering from. Twenty healthy non addict subjects were also included in study as controls. Funduscopy was performed on all study subjects to find out any changes in eye due to anaemia. Results: Ninety percent addicts included in the study had anaemia. 68% had iron deficiency anaemia, 20% and 10% had folic acid and vitamin B12 deficiency anaemia and 2% had hemolytic anaemia. 8% addicts with severe anaemia showed multiple flames shaped and blot hemorrhages on Funduscopy. Conclusion: High percentage of addicts had anemia of various verities in Bahawalpur.

PakMediNet -Pakistan's largest Database of Pakistani Medical Journals - http://www.pakmedinet.com