Prevalence of iron overload in pediatric oncology patients after blood transfusion.
BACKGROUND
Studies evaluating the prevalence of iron overload and its relationship to blood transfusion in pediatric oncology patients are limited.


METHODS
Medical records of all pediatric oncology patients treated at Roger Maris Cancer Center (Fargo, North Dakota) were screened. Subjects with measurements of serum ferritin levels after completion of therapy (N=52) were further evaluated.


RESULTS
Of the total study population, 37 patients (71.2%) underwent red blood cell (RBC) transfusion and 15 patients (28.8%) did not. Among the transfused patients, 20 patients (54%) had elevated serum ferritin values greater than 250 ng/mL. Among the patients who did not undergo blood transfusion, only 1 patient (6.6%) had an elevated serum ferritin value (P<.01; Fischer exact test). None of the nontransfused patients had ferritin levels greater than 501 ng/mL.


CONCLUSIONS
This study demonstrated that ferritin levels were more likely to be elevated in transfused patients than nontransfused patients. The number of subjects in this study was limited, and further prospective studies are needed.
University of North Dakota, Fargo, North Dakota 55102, USA. gmk_doctor@yahoo.co.uk
Murali Krishna
MK
Gurram
William
W
Newman
Nathan
N
Kobrinsky
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D019190:Iron Overload / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy; D015995:Prevalence; D065227:Transfusion Reaction; D055815:Young Adult
D005293:Ferritins