title: ["Free" iron, transferrin and ferritin levels in serum and their relation with severe malnutrition].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  "Free" serum iron has been associated with the development of edema in Kwashiorkor-type severe acute malnutrition.
  
  
  METHODS
  A descriptive, cross sectional study was performed. Twenty-four children with edematous malnutrition, 22 with marasmus and 20 without malnutrition were compared. "Free" iron, transferrin, saturation index and attachment capacity of iron, ferritin, total protein, albumin, total iron, and C-reactive protein (CRP) were determined in serum.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significant difference was found between malnourished children with "free" serum iron and the control group in which "free" iron was not found. However, no significant differences were found in "free" serum iron levels between marasmatic and edematous children. Transferrin was negatively correlated with "free" iron (r=-0.519; p=0.000). Total proteins, albumin and transferrin were all significantly lower in children with edema than in those with marasmus. A low transferrin level and a high saturation index could be used to estimate the probability of edema in 67.5% of cases (p=0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Severe acute malnutrition was associated with the presence of "free" serum iron both in children with marasmus and in those with edema. "Free" iron does not explain the presence of edema but, as with severe hypoalbuminemia, the concurrence of a low transferrin level and a high saturation index may contribute to the etiology of edema.
authors.affiliation: Escuela de Nutrición y Dietética, Universidad de Antioquía, Grupo de Investigación en Alimentación y Nutrición Humana, Colombia. claver@pijaos.udea.edu.co
authors.forename: C Ma
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Velásquez Rodríguez
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Parra Sosa
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Morales Mira
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Agudelo Ochoa
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Cardona Henao
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bernal Parra
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Burgos Herrera
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Betancur Acosta
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004487:Edema / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007501:Iron / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D011502:Protein-Energy Malnutrition / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014168:Transferrin / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D014168:Transferrin; D005293:Ferritins; D007501:Iron