Screening of β-thalassemia trait among pregnant women with NESTROFT

The morbidity of β-thalassemia major has forced medical professionals to formulate screening tests to effectively screen β-thalassemia trait (BTT) of which naked eye single tube osmotic fragility test (NESTROFT) is the most cost effective test. Optimal time to screen for BTT appears to be during pregnancy, as at risk couples can be offered prenatal diagnosis. We screened 55 pregnant women attending antenatal clinic in a medical college hospital at Bangalore, with NESTROFT. Twelve (21.89%) were NESTROFT positive with mean hemoglobin of 11.2 mg % and packed cell volume of 32.6%. Catering predominantly to Vokkaliga community in whom literature reports increased prevalence of BTT, addition of a cost effective test like NESTROFT in the antenatal panel, appears promising.   β地中海贫血症的流行已迫使医护人员制定更有效的屏幕筛查方法（BTT），其中红细胞渗透脆性肉眼一管法（NESTROFT)是成本较低的，亦最为有效的筛查方法。最佳的BTT筛查时间是怀孕期，可以为风险夫妇提供产前诊断。我们在班加罗尔医学院产前诊所对55名怀孕女性进行了红细胞渗透脆性肉眼一管法（NESTROFT）筛查。她们中的12位（21.89%）呈NESTROFT阳性,平均血红蛋白值11.2mg、细胞体积32.6%.在Vokkaliga地区发现了有关β地中海贫血症病例的增加，也许，成本低的、亦高效的红细胞渗透脆性肉眼一管法（NESTROFT）能为这一地区的产前筛查带来帮助。