title: Evaluation of derived Coulter red blood cell parameters for the assessment of iron deficiency in adults with congenital heart disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of our study was to evaluate derived red blood cell parameters in determining the presence of iron depletion and iron-deficient erythropoiesis, as states that precede iron deficiency anemia, in adults with congenital heart disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-eight adults who were diagnosed with congenital heart disease were divided into two groups (cyanotic and acyanotic). In both groups, congenital heart disease patients were then divided into three subgroups: with iron depletion, with iron-deficient erythropoiesis, and a control group. The following parameters were measured: complete blood count, reticulocytes, ferritin, soluble transferrin receptor, haptoglobin, lactate dehydrogenase, and calculated parameters: low hemoglobin density (LHD), red cell size factor (RSF), and microcytic anemia factor (MAF).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Discriminant analysis indicated statistically significant differences in the first discriminant function: Function 1 - body iron, LHD, MAF, sTfR, and RSF (P < 0.001) in patients with acyanotic congenital heart disease and significant differences in both discriminant functions in patients with cyanotic congenital heart disease: Function 1 - body iron, soluble transferrin receptor, LHD, RSF, MAF, lactate dehydrogenase, and haptoglobin (P = 0.008) and Function 2 - reticulocytes (#), immature reticulocyte fraction and reticulocytes (%) (P = 0.049).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Beside parameters that describe iron metabolism dynamics (body iron and soluble transferrin receptor), LHD, indicator of hypochromia, have the highest potential to differentiate and classify iron deficiency in patients with congenital heart disease.
authors.affiliation: University of Belgrade, Faculty of Pharmacy, Institute of Medical Biochemistry, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Dopsaj
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mikovic-Golubovic
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Martinovic
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kalimanovska-Ostric
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D001772:Blood Cell Count / Q000379:methods; D016002:Discriminant Analysis; D004906:Erythrocyte Count / Q000379:methods; D004909:Erythrocyte Indices; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D004920:Erythropoiesis; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood; D006242:Haptoglobins / Q000378:metabolism; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000097:blood*; D000090463:Iron Deficiencies; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D017701:Reticulocyte Count / Q000379:methods; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014168:Transferrin / Q000378:metabolism; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D006242:Haptoglobins; D014168:Transferrin; D005293:Ferritins; D007501:Iron; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase