Serum Iron

Objective To evaluate the effect of iron and zinc deficiency on short term memory of children in the age group of 6–11 years and to assess the response to supplementation therapy. Design Interventional study. Setting 100 children in the age group of 6–11 years (subdivided into 6–8 yr and 9–11 yr groups) from an urban corporation school. Methods After collection of demographic data, the study children underwent hematological assessment which included serum iron, serum zinc, and hemoglobin estimation. Based on the results, they were divided into Iron deficient, Zinc deficient, and Combined deficiency groups. Verbal and nonverbal memory assessment was done in all the children. Intervention Iron (2mg/kg bodyweight in two divided doses) and zinc (5mg once-a-day) supplementation for a period of 3 months for children in the deficient group. Results All children with iron and zinc deficiency in both the age groups had memory deficits. Combined deficiency in 9–11 years group showed severe degree of affectation in verbal (PPP = 0.05 and PP =0.02) was affected, which improved after supplementation. Conclusion Iron and zinc deficiency is associated with memory deficits in children. There is a marked improvement in memory after supplementation. Post supplementation IQ scores do not show significant improvement in deficient groups in 6–8 year olds.

Heritability is the proportion of observed variation in a trait among individuals in a population that is attributable to hereditary factors. The Hemochromatosis and Iron Overload Screening family study estimated heritability of serum iron measures. Probands were HFE C282Y homozygotes or non-C282Y homozygotes with elevated transferrin saturation (TS > 50%, men; TS > 45%, women) and serum ferritin concentration (SF > 300 microg/L, men; SF > 200 microg/L, women). Heritability (h(2)) was estimated by variance component analysis of TS, natural logarithm (ln) of SF, and unsaturated iron-binding capacity (UIBC). Participants (N = 942) were 77% Caucasians, 10% Asians, 8% Hispanics, and 5% other race/ethnicities. Average age (SD) was 49 (16) years; 57% were female. For HFE C282Y homozygote probands and their family members, excluding variation due to HFE C282Y and H63D genotype and measured demographic and environmental factors, the residual h(2) (SE) was 0.21 (0.07) for TS, 0.37 (0.08) for ln SF, and 0.34 (0.08) for UIBC (all P < 0.0004 for comparisons with zero). For the non-C282Y homozygote proband group, residual h(2) was significant with a value of 0.64 (0.26) for ln SF (P = 0.0096). In conclusion, serum iron measures have significant heritability components, after excluding known genetic and nongenetic sources of variation.

Introduction: The incidence of cardiovascular (CV) diseases and acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in Czech Republic is de-clining. In spite of this in a proportion of patients AMI occurs in young age. The aim of our project was to assess the character of risk factors, precipitating diseases and the quality of care in young AMI survivors. Methods: We included 132 patients (97 men and 35 women) in whom AIM with ST elevations occurred before age of 45 years in men and age of 50 years in women. Several results were compared to a control group composed of 84 healthy volunteers of comparable age. We assessed the course of the disease, extent of coronary involvement, subsequent therapy and control of risk factors after 3 years from the index event. Results: Smoking represented the main risk factor - 85% patents were active smokers at the time of AMI and 9% were former smokers, 64% patients had a positive family history of CV disease. We found a higher prevalence of dyslipidemia history in ...

With the aim of investigating the biodistribution of technetium-99 m pertechnetate (99mTcO4-) in rats infected with Y strain of Tripanosoma Cruzi, at the peak of parasitemia, (14th day of infection), we injected Wistar rats with 0.1 ml of 99mTcO4- (3.7 MBq). After 60 min, the percentage of radioactivity per gram was counted in several isolated organs and blood, using a gamma counter (1470 Wizard, PerkinElmer Finland). The uptake of 99mTcO4- increased significantly in blood and decreased in the colon of infected animals (p < 0.05). A significant reduction in serum iron and red blood cells and a significant increase in total proteins, leukocytes and lymphocytes in the infected rats were observed, compared with controls (p < 0.05). A reduction in muscle layer thickness of the colon and mononuclear inflammation were observed. These results conclusively demonstrate that T. cruzi infection would be associated with changes in the biodistribution of 99mTcO4- and in colon morphology, with potential clinical implications.

Iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) is the most prevalent micronutrient deficiency in the world affecting the general health and wellbeing of millions. In Malaysia, moderately high prevalences of anaemia have been reported amongst infants, young children and women of childbearing age. Data is scant for the adolescents. This study was undertaken to assess the iron status and dietary intake of 165 adolescents, comprising 74 male and 91 female subjects, aged 12 to 19 years, from the rural communities in Tuaran District of Sabah, Malaysia. Convenience sampling was used for the selection of study subjects. Multiple iron status indicators namely, serum ferritin (SF), transferrin saturation (TS), mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and haemoglobin (Hb) were determined for the study. The mean age of the subjects was 15.2 +/-2.1 years. While the majority of the subjects (77.6%) had normal body mass index (BMI) values, 17.6% were underweight and 4.8% overweight. About 35% to 40% of the subjects showed de...

Hereditary hemochromatosis (HH) is an autosomal recessive disorder of iron metabolism characterized by increased iron absorption and progressive storage resulting in organ damage. HFE gene mutations C282Y and H63D are responsible for the majority of HH cases. A third HFE mutation, S65C, has been associated with the development of a mild form of hemochromatosis. The beta-thalassemia trait is characterized by mild, ineffective erythropoiesis that can induce excess iron absorption and ultimately lead to iron overload. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of genetic markers (HFE mutations C282Y, H63D, and S65C) on the iron status of beta-thalassemia carriers. A total of 101 individuals heterozygous for beta-thalassemia and 101 normal control individuals were studied. The allelic frequencies of C282Y (1.5 versus 3.5%), H63D (15.3 versus 18.3%), and S65C (1.0 versus 1.5%) did not differ significantly between beta-thalassemia carriers and normal controls. Serum iron (P=0.029) and transferrin saturation (P=0.009) were increased in beta-thalassemia carriers heterozygous for H63D mutation. The number of subjects carrying C282Y or S65C mutations was too low to conclude their effect on the iron status. These results suggest that the beta-thalassemia trait tends to be aggravated with the coinheritance of H63D mutation, even when present in heterozygosity.

Background: Soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR) concentration is high in iron deficiency and in conditions of increased erythropoiesis. In developing countries like Brazil, pregnant women usually have concurrent iron, vitamin B12, and folate deficiencies. This study investigated the relationship between serum sTfR concentration and iron, vitamin B12, and folate status in pregnant women. Methods: The concentration of the sTfR, hematocrit (Hct),

Objective: Nowadays, the amount of lead in human body is increasing related to industrialization. Asymptomatic lead poisoning secondary to low dose contact in long term may cause non-specific symptoms such as behavioral problems, learning disabilities, and school failures in young children. In this study, blood and hair lead levels of the children working as apprentices in the work fields in

In this study, 116 patients with ‚-thalassaemia minor, and 142 apparently healthy control subjects were investigated for: haemoglobin, blood indices, serum iron, total iron binding capacity, transferrin saturation, and serum ferritin. Patients with ‚-thalassaemia minor had low Body mass index (BMI) value, but it was satistically insignificant as compared to that of the controls, being equal to 19.85-2.66 kg/m2 compared

In a series of 1007 consecutively admitted patients, 3 cases of neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) were identified (0.3%). All three patients were affected by mood disorders with congruent psychotic features, had shown catatonia just before the onset of NMS, and had been treated with low neuroleptic doses. All of them presented low serum iron levels. The relationship between NMS and catatonia and possible therapeutic decisions are discussed.

Hereditary hemochromatosis (HH) is an autosomal recessive disorder of iron metabolism characterized by increased iron absorption and progressive storage resulting in organ damage. HFE gene mutations C282Y and H63D are responsible for the majority of HH cases. A third HFE mutation, S65C, has been associated with the development of a mild form of hemochromatosis. The beta-thalassemia trait is characterized by mild, ineffective erythropoiesis that can induce excess iron absorption and ultimately lead to iron overload. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of genetic markers (HFE mutations C282Y, H63D, and S65C) on the iron status of beta-thalassemia carriers. A total of 101 individuals heterozygous for beta-thalassemia and 101 normal control individuals were studied. The allelic frequencies of C282Y (1.5 versus 3.5%), H63D (15.3 versus 18.3%), and S65C (1.0 versus 1.5%) did not differ significantly between beta-thalassemia carriers and normal controls. Serum iron (P=0.029) and transferrin saturation (P=0.009) were increased in beta-thalassemia carriers heterozygous for H63D mutation. The number of subjects carrying C282Y or S65C mutations was too low to conclude their effect on the iron status. These results suggest that the beta-thalassemia trait tends to be aggravated with the coinheritance of H63D mutation, even when present in heterozygosity.

The aim of this study was first to investigate cardio-ventilatory and haematological responses induced by intermittent acclimation and second to study de-adaptation from high altitude observed after descent. To achieve these objectives nine subjects were submitted to intermittent acclimation in a low barometric chamber (8 h daily for 5 days, day 1 at 4500 m, day 5 at 8500 m) before an expedition to the Himalayas. Cardio-ventilatory changes were measured during a hypobaric poikilocapnic hypoxic test (4500 m, barometric pressure = 589 hPa) and haematological changes were studied at sea level. These measurements were performed before and after acclimation, after return to sea level, but also 1 and 2 months after the expedition. In addition, partial pressures of oxygen and carbon dioxide in arterial blood (PaO2, PaCO2) and arterial erythropoietin concentration [EPO] were measured at rest during the hypoxic test. Results suggested the pre-adaptation protocol was efficient since an increased PaO2 (+12%, P &amp;lt; 0.05), a smaller difference in alveolo-arterial PO2 ( -63%, P &amp;lt; 0.05) and a lower PaCO2 ( -11%, P &amp;lt; 0.05), subsequent to ventilatory changes, were observed after acclimation with a significant increase in reticulocytes and in sea level [EPO] (+44% and +62% respectively, P &amp;lt; 0.05). De-adaptation was characterized by a loss of these cardio-ventilatory changes 1 month after descent, whereas the haematological changes (increased red blood cells and packed cell volume, P &amp;lt; 0.05) persisted for 1 month before disappearing 2 months after descent. This study would also suggest that acute hypoxia performed after a sojourn at high altitude could induce significantly depressed EPO responses (P &amp;lt; 0.05).

A comparison of serum femtin and other parameters of iron status was made between 46 women taking oral contraceptive agents (OCAs) for two or more years continuously and 71 women who never took OCAs. The mean serum ferritin level for the OCA users was 39.5 ± 21.5 ng/ml and the control group mean level was 25.4 ± 15.96 ng/ml, which