title: Serum ferritin levels in carriers of beta-thalassaemia trait.
abstract: Hypochromic and microcytic red cell morphology is the most commonly encountered abnormality in a clinical laboratory. Most of such cases have iron deficiency anaemia. However, in Pakistan about 5% of the individuals with a hypochromic and microcytic blood picture have the beta-thalassaemia trait. These individuals are more than often in a positive iron balance. However iron deficiency (being common) may be associated with the beta-thalassaemia trait. This study of serum ferritin levels was carried out on 135 confirmed cases of the beta-thalassaemia trait. A ferritin assay was done by a radioimmunoassay technique. The results show that the level of serum ferritin in 100 (74%) cases was within normal limits, in 17 (12.6%) cases it was above the normal range, whereas in 18 (13.4%) cases the level was lower than normal. The importance of serum ferritin estimation in carriers of the beta-thalassaemia trait is highlighted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Haematology, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Rawalpindi Pakistan.
authors.forename: T Z
authors.initials: TZ
authors.lastname: Qureshi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Anwar
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ahmed Khan
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saleem
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood*; D006579:Heterozygote; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010154:Pakistan; D012016:Reference Values; D017086:beta-Thalassemia / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D005293:Ferritins