title: Serum ferritin and iron status in a population of 'healthy' 85-year-old individuals.
abstract: Iron status, including S-ferritin, S-iron, S-total iron binding capacity (TIBC), TIBC saturation, haemoglobin (Hb) and dietary iron intake, was assessed in a population study comprising 92 healthy 85-year-old subjects (32 males, 60 females). S-iron, S-TIBC, TIBC saturation and S-ferritin values were not significantly different in the two sexes. Males had a geometric mean S-ferritin of 130 micrograms/l, females of 98 micrograms/l. Ferritin levels less than 15 micrograms/l (i.e. depleted iron stores) were found in one female (1.6%); and in one male (3.1%), who in addition had iron deficiency anaemia. None of the females displayed latent iron deficiency (i.e. S-ferritin less than 15 micrograms/l and S-TIBC saturation less than 15%) or iron deficiency anaemia. Arithmetic mean Hb was 145 +/- 13 (SD) g/l (9.0 +/- 0.8 mmol/l) in males and 139 +/- 11 g/l (8.6 +/- 0.7 mmol/l) in females (p less than 0.02). Median nutritional iron intake was 10 mg/day (range 3-17), higher in males (median 12) than in females (median 9) (p less than 0.0001). Iron intake showed significant correlations to S-iron, S-TIBC and TIBC saturation, but not to S-ferritin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Gentofte Hospital, Hellerup, Denmark.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Milman
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ingerslev
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Graudal
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood*; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D011485:Protein Binding; D012016:Reference Values; D012727:Sex Characteristics
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D005293:Ferritins; D007501:Iron