Reticulocyte haemoglobin content as a diagnostic tool for iron deficiency and iron-deficiency anaemia in ill infants and children

摘要

Normal 0 false false false EN-ZA X-NONE X-NONE Background. The diagnosis of iron deficiency (ID) and iron-deficiency anaemia (IDA) in ill children is complicated by the unreliability?of serum ferritin (S-ferritin). The presence of a microcytic, hypochromic anaemia suggests IDA but is not specific. There is a need for a?diagnostic test that will be accessible, cost-effective and accurate for the diagnosis of ID in ill children. Studies done in healthy children have?reported that reticulocyte haemoglobin content (CHr) is a reliable diagnostic test for ID, eliminating the need for S-ferritin determination. Objective. To evaluate the accuracy of CHr to diagnose ID and IDA in ill infants and children. Methods. A prospective, descriptive study was conducted. One hundred children, aged 6 months to 6 years, who were admitted to?Pelonomi Regional Hospital, Bloemfontein, South Africa, during July 2012 and August 2012 were included.? Results. The study group was divided into an iron-deficient group and an iron-sufficient group based on transferrin saturation (TfS). A?statistically significant difference was found between mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH), serum transferrin and CHr in these two?groups ( p =0.0001). The sensitivity of a CHr level ≤29 pg to detect ID was 86%, and the specificity was 50%. Conclusion. CHr is an accurate diagnostic test for ID, and for IDA in combination with a low haemoglobin level, in ill infants and?children. /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0cm; mso-para-margin-right:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0cm; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}