title: An assessment of methods used in the investigation of iron status: findings in a population of young British South Asian children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the value of laboratory tests available for the investigation of iron status in a population of young British South Asian children.
  
  
  METHODS
  Blood count, red cell distribution width (RDW), percentage hypochromic red cells (%hypo), concentrations of C-reactive protein (CRP), zinc protoporphyrin (ZPP), ferritin, soluble transferrin receptor, plasma iron measurements and incidence of deletional forms of α-thalassaemia were determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Haemoglobin, mean cell haemoglobin (MCH), ferritin and CRP values classified iron status in 151/205 (73.6%) consecutive children aged 4-43 months. Fifty-four could not be classified: 12 were anaemic with findings, other than normal CRP values, indistinguishable from those with anaemia of inflammation and 42 were non-anaemic with reduced MCH values. All 42 had normal ferritin concentration and 8 of 36 successfully tested had deletional α-thalassaemia trait. Despite apparent iron sufficiency the RDW, %hypo and ZPP values of these 42 were not significantly different from the 32 children classified with iron-deficient erythropoiesis. The gene frequency of deletional α-thalassaemia trait in the entire group was 8.6%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Among 205 British South Asian children aged 4-43 months with high incidences of anaemia, iron deficiency, infection and α-thalassaemia, 151 (73.6%) were classified using haemoglobin, MCH, ferritin and CRP values. In 42 non-anaemic, iron-sufficient children with subnormal MCH values, that is with a phenotype of α-thalassaemia trait, RDW, %hypo and ZPP values did not differ significantly from those with iron-deficient erythropoiesis. Raised RDW, %hypo and ZPP values should be interpreted with caution in non-anaemic young British South Asian children with microcytosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatric Haematology, Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield, UK Academic Unit of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Human Metabolism, University of Sheffield Medical School, Sheffield, UK.
authors.forename: Roderick F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Hinchliffe
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatric Haematology, Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield, UK Academic Unit of Child Health, Department of Human Metabolism, University of Sheffield Medical School, Sheffield, UK.
authors.forename: Ajay J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Vora
authors.affiliation: Academic Unit of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Human Metabolism, University of Sheffield Medical School, Sheffield, UK.
authors.forename: Lynne
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lennard
mesh_terms: D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004906:Erythrocyte Count / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood; D006402:Hematologic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D000090463:Iron Deficiencies; D008297:Male; D017085:alpha-Thalassemia / Q000145:classification* / Q000175:diagnosis
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D005293:Ferritins
keywords: ERYTHROCYTE; IRON METABOLISM; PAEDIATRIC HAEMATOLOGY; THALASSAEMIA