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IF IT IS ANAEMIA IN A SINDHI WOMAN - IT MUST BE THALASSAEMIA MINOR!
O P Kapoor
Hon. Visiting Physician, Jaslok Hospital and Bombay Hospital, Mumbai,
Ex. Hon. Prof. of Medicine, Grant Medical College and JJ Hospital, Mumbai 400 008.
Sindhi women are always over nourished. All of them including poor Sindhis eat a very good diet. Also for some reasons the menstrual disturbances specially of the type of menorrhagia are less common in this population. Also "bleeding" piles are less common. Infestation by the hookworm virtually is never seen in this community who always use chappals while leaving the house. Most of them are non-vegetarians and get their iron in the meat and eggs. The other few who are vegetarians get it from the vegetables and the fresh fruits which they are fond of.The incidence of thalassaemia minor in Sindhi community is very high. Most of them go from doctor to doctor and take a lot of haematinic pills without any relief. They use the presence of "chronic anaemia" in them to "bully" their husbands and take them to doctors again and again. Often the husband and wife develop anxiety regarding the anaemia which could not be diagnosed and treated by doctors. The husbands would then coax their wifes to eat more food to get rid of anaemia with the result that these Sindhi women become markedly overweight though the anaemia persists.
A single investigation of Hb electrophoresis would eastablish the diagnosis of anaemia due to thalassaemia minor which need not be treated and can be left alone. Thus in private practice if mild to moderate anaemia is seen in Sindhi female patient, it must be a case of thalassaemia minor!
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