Screening of Thalassemia Carriers, Hemoglobin Variants, and Comparison of Hematological Parameters between Children of Bangladesh and Forcibly Displaced Myanmar Nationals

Thalassemia is a hereditary blood disorder with different severity spectrums. This study aimed to assess thalassemia screening rates between children of Bangladesh and selected camps of Forcibly Displaced Myanmar Nationals (FDMN) in Coxs Bazar in Bangladesh and compare the hematological parameters among the screening groups. Complete blood count (CBC) analysis and hemoglobin electrophoresis for each participant were performed by collecting venous blood. Statistical analysis was employed for the comparison of parameters in blood. The thalassemia carrier and other hemoglobin variant rate in Bangladeshi children in selected areas have been found to be 20.7% and in FDMN children, the rate is 8.2%. Hematological differences are visualized among children of two nations. Intra-and interpopulation variances are highlighted in principal component analysis where higher variance (94.87%) in Bangladeshi children than FDMN children (80.68%). Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) and area under the curve (AUC) analyses revealed, RBC (0.761, 0.902, and 0.791) and RDW-CV are better model (0.819, 0.925, and 0.858) among the classifier of blood parameters. Pearson correlation shows distinguished covariation or association among the parameters. The outcome of the study highlights the discrepancies in levels of carriers in regions in Bangladesh and suggests further screening as well as population based molecular research to ensure better treatment strategies.