title: Are C-reactive protein and ferritin levels being overlooked in indigenous australians with chronic kidney disease?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Indigenous Australians have significantly higher rates of end-stage renal disease and worse health outcomes than non-indigenous Australians.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We investigated whether the effect of inflammation on C-reactive protein (CRP) and ferritin levels is being overlooked in indigenous patients with chronic kidney disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data for 23,000 patients were extracted from the Renal Anaemia Management database for the period November 1999 to October 2010.
  
  
  METHODS
  Haemoglobin, ferritin, transferrin saturation and CRP levels for indigenous and non-indigenous Australians were compared with target levels given in the Caring for Australians with Renal Impairment (CARI) guidelines.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with non-indigenous patients, indigenous Australians had higher median CRP and mean ferritin levels, lower mean haemoglobin level and were less likely to meet CARI targets.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The effect of inflammation on laboratory parameters should be considered particularly when treating indigenous Australians.
authors.affiliation: Department of Renal Medicine, Cairns Base Hospital, Cairns, Australia.
authors.forename: Jamin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Claes
authors.forename: Joy-Anne L
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Ellis
authors.forename: Fiona
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rettie
authors.forename: Belinda
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Butcher
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bradley
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000208:ethnology / Q000451:nursing; D001315:Australia; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood*; D006452:Hemoglobinometry; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000097:blood / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000451:nursing*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D044382:Population Groups; D012016:Reference Values; D012307:Risk Factors; D014168:Transferrin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014168:Transferrin; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D005293:Ferritins
keywords: C-reactive protein; Chronic kidney disease; Ferritin; Indigenous Australians; Inflammation