title: The usefulness of soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR) in differentiating anemia occurring in young children.
abstract: We evaluated the usefulness of soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR) and of the sTfR/log ferritin index(sTfR/logF) in the differentiation of anemia in young children. 96 children, aged 6-36 months, were examined.From these, four groups were distinguished: 1 - (IDA): 33 children with anemia due to iron deficiency; 2 -(IA): 19 children with infectious anemia without iron deficiency; 3 - (IA + ID): 16 children with infectious anemia and iron deficiency; and 4 - a comparator group (CG): 28 healthy children without iron deficiency. The soluble transferrin receptor, hematological indices and iron balance were evaluated and the sTfR/logF was calculated for each examined child. It was proved that the mean values of sTfR and sTfR/logF were substantially higher in children with anemia due to iron deficiency, and in those with infectious anemia and iron deficiency,vs. those with infectious anemia or in healthy children. This suggests that both sTfR and the sTfR/logF are good indicators of iron deficiency and could be useful in the differential diagnostics of anemia, especially in young children.
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Pediatrics and Allergology, Polish Mothers' Memorial Hospital - Research Institute, Lodz, Poland. bkamer@wp.pl
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kamer
authors.forename: Elżbieta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dółka
authors.forename: Renata
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pasowska
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Świątkowska
mesh_terms: D000740:Anemia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism*; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000378:metabolism*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D000090463:Iron Deficiencies; D008297:Male; D011990:Receptors, Transferrin / Q000378:metabolism*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012995:Solubility
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; C068126:CD71 antigen; D011990:Receptors, Transferrin; D005293:Ferritins