Soluble transferrin receptor as an indicator of iron deficiency in HIV-infected infants.
BACKGROUND
Iron deficiency is common in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected infants in sub-Saharan Africa. It is not known whether soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR) is a good indicator of iron deficiency in infants with HIV.


METHODS
We evaluated sTfR as an indicator of iron deficiency in 134 HIV-infected 9-month-old infants in Kampala, Uganda. Ferritin <12 microg/L and microcytic, hypochromic anaemia were used as indicators of iron deficiency, respectively. The presence of inflammation was indicated by C-reactive protein >5 mg/L or alpha1-acid glycoprotein >1 g/L.


RESULTS
Receiver operator characteristic curves showed that the area under the curve was 0.67 when sTfR receptor was compared with low ferritin and 0.71 when sTfR was compared with microcytic, hypochromic anaemia. The appropriate calculated cut-offs of sTfR >3.74 microg/mL (43.98 nmol/L) and >3.53 microg/mL (41.55 nmol/L) show adequate specificities of 60% and sensitivities of 63% and 69% for low ferritin and microcytic, hypochromic anaemia, respectively. C-reactive protein and alpha 1-acid glycoprotein were strongly correlated with serum ferritin (r=0.371 and r=0.458, respectively, both p<0.0001) but were not correlated with sTfR (r=0.009 and r= -0.003, respectively, both p=0.9). In all, 78.6% of infants had alpha l-acid glycoprotein >1 g/L and 54.7% had C-reactive protein >5 g/L.


CONCLUSIONS
Soluble TfR appears to be an adequate indicator of iron deficiency in HIV-infected infants.
Ray
Amanda
A
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Ndugwa
Christopher
C
Mmirot
Francis
F
Ricks
Michelle O
MO
Semba
Richard D
RD
D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D000886:Anthropometry; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001827:Body Height; D001835:Body Weight; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D009961:Orosomucoid / Q000032:analysis; D012372:ROC Curve; D011990:Receptors, Transferrin / Q000097:blood*
D015415:Biomarkers; D009961:Orosomucoid; D011990:Receptors, Transferrin; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D005293:Ferritins