All issues > Volume 31(5); 1988

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1988;31(5):577-583. Published online May 31, 1988.

Iron Deficiency Anemia in Childhood and Diagnostic Significance of Serum Ferritin.

Dong Hyub Lee¹, Ki Hong Park¹, Kyu Chul Choi¹, Yong Mook Choi¹

¹Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea

Received: November 7, 1987;  Accepted: December 28, 1987.

Abstract

In order to elucidate clinical and laboratory findings of the iron deficiency anemia(IDA) in childhood along with diagnostic significance of serum ferritin, 207 patients were analyzed retrospec- tively, who were hospitalized at Department of Pediatrics, Kyung Hee University Hospital from January 1981 to December 1986. The results were as follows; 1) The incidence of IDA in In-Patient was 1.6%. 2) The sex ratio of male to female was 2.4:1. 3) In age distribution, IDA was most common in the group of 7months to 2years of age (74.4%) due to nutritional problems and was 2nd common in the group of 12 years to 15 years of age (12.1%) due to chronic blood loss. 4) Comparing with normal control group. IDA revealed microcytic hypochromic anemia (p<0.001) but reticulocyte and platelet counts were not significantly different (p<0.2, p<0.4). 5) Comparing with other disease group, IDA showed difference in serum ferritin (p< 0.001), TIBC (p< 0.001), serum iron (p< 0.001) and transferrin saturation (p< 0.025). 6) During oral iron therapy, the hemoglobin level was significantly increased 7〜 13 days after treatment (p<0.05) and was markedly increased 30 days later (p<0.001). 7) Serum ferritin showed low correlation with other hematological data including MCV, MCH, MCHC, TIBC, serum iron and transferrin saturation.

Keywords :Iron deficiency anemia, Serum ferritin