Influence of mild infections on iron status parameters in women of reproductive age.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effects of mild infections on iron status parameters.


METHODS
A prospective observational study.


METHODS
A population of female nurse students in Norway.


METHODS
33 women with self-reported episodes of infection and 33 women without infections but with comparable s-ferritin at baseline.


METHODS
Change from baseline in haemoglobin, s-iron, TIBC, transferrin saturation, s-ferritin, e-protoporphyrin and s-transferrin receptor on days 3, 7, 14, 21, 28 and 56 after onset of illness, compared to changes in non-infected subjects tested in parallel.


RESULTS
In febrile illness, such as influenza, there was a significant rise in s-ferritin that could take more than a month to normalise. S-ferritin increased significantly when CRP rose above 20 mg/L, but a normal CRP could not preclude falsely high s-ferritin values due to infection. S-iron and transferrin saturation fell below normal range in a substantial proportion of cases in the symptomatic stage, even in infections without a febrile response, such as the common cold, but was normalised within a week after onset of infection.


CONCLUSIONS
For more than a month after febrile illness such as influenza, s-ferritin is not a reliable measure for ruling out iron deficiency in women of reproductive age.
Eskeland
Benedicte
B
Department of Public Health and Primary Health Care, University of Bergen, Norway.
Baerheim
Anders
A
Ulvik
Rune
R
Hunskaar
Steinar
S
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007239:Infections / Q000150:complications*; D007501:Iron / Q000097:blood; D033862:Iron-Binding Proteins / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011524:Protoporphyrins / Q000097:blood; D011990:Receptors, Transferrin / Q000097:blood; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013338:Students, Nursing; D013997:Time Factors; D014168:Transferrin / Q000378:metabolism; D016387:Women's Health
D006454:Hemoglobins; D033862:Iron-Binding Proteins; D011524:Protoporphyrins; D011990:Receptors, Transferrin; D014168:Transferrin; D005293:Ferritins; D007501:Iron