title: [Multicenter study of serum ferritin assay for the surveillance of subjects at risk of iron deficiency].
abstract: A multicentre study was carried out in a sample population of healthy volunteers in order to assess the usefulness of assaying serum ferritin to monitor the extent of reserves in subjects with a risk of iron deficiency. A total of 317 subjects were included in the study. Ninety-nine were children with a mean age of 19 months, 121 were adolescents with a mean age of 18 years and 7 months, and 97 were women with a mean age of 28 years and 9 months. Levels of serum ferritin below the normal minimum levels for each age bracket, an indication of the exhaustion of the body's reserves, were found in 29% of children, 32.2% of adolescents and 27.8% of women. This study therefore confirm the frequent onset, even in our modern society, of iron-deficient states at particular times of life and that these are easily overlooked. The measurements of serum ferritin levels, in addition to being a confirmatory test in cases of suspected sideropenic anemia, has the peculiar characteristic of being the only test able to identify risk subjects before they become symptomatic. This enables rapid treatment to be commenced or better, efficient prevention.
authors.affiliation: Istituto Clinico di Pediatria Preventiva e Neonatologia, Università di Bologna.
authors.forename: G P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Salvioli
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Faldella
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Schettini
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rigillo
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Massellis
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mollica
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Guerresi
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bianchini
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood*; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D000090463:Iron Deficiencies; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D005293:Ferritins
vernacular_title: Indagine multicentrica sul dosaggio della ferritina sierica per la sorveglianza dei soggetti a rischio di carenza marziale.