NESTROFT AS SCREENING TEST FOR BETA THALASSEMIA TRAIT

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the utility of NESTROFT as a screening test for Beta Thalassemia Trait. Material and Methods: A Prospective study of total 137 clinically normal siblings of thalassemia major patients registered at thalassemia clinic in department of pediatrics, Govt. medical college, Kota were selected randomly for the study. All cases were investigated for CBC, Mentzer’s index, NESTROFT and HbA2 estimation by HPLC method. Result: Total 137 cases were screened for thalassemia carrier by HbA2 estimation using HPLC technique. Total 67 (48.90%) cases having HbA2 level ≥3.5 % considered as carrier whereas rest 70 (51.10%) cases were normal. In this study 95 cases showed MCV<80. Out of them 59 cases were carrier and 36 cases were normal. The Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of MCV<80 are 90.12%, 49.71%, 63.78% and 84.68% respectively. The Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of Mentzer index are 85.25%, 97.16%, 96.45% and 89.19 % respectively. In present study, NESTROFT were done in all cases, the sensitivity of NESTROF test is 94.21%, specificity is 89.72%, Predictive value of positive test is 89.17% and Predictive value of negative test is 93.75%. So NESTROFT is better test for screening for Beta Thalassemia trait. Conclusion: NESTROF test is reliable, cost effective and better screening test for Thalassemia carrier detection. Positive cases can be confirmed by HPLC. NESTROFT can be used as mass screening programme for hemoglobinopathies.