An Analytical Study to Explore Iron Stores in a Population of Nowshera Based on Age and Gender Perspective

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To analyze the impact of age and gender on iron stores in a population of the Nowshera region. METHODOLOGY: This cross sectional study was conducted in the Department of Pathology Qazi Hussain Ahmed Medical Complex Nowshera from 1st January 2019 to 31st March 2020. All patients were selected by convenience sampling in the Pathology department irrespective of age and gender. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were applied to analyze data by the latest SPSS version 25. RESULTS: Out of the total study population males were 70 (27.1%) and females 188 (77.9%) with median age 30 years. The median ferritin level was 12.8 ng/ml. Out of total, 142 (55%) of cases were with serum ferritin less than 15ng/ml. A significant (p=0.03) gender based median ferritin level difference was observed with 1.5 times more probability of low iron stores in females as compared to males (OR=1.5). No statistically significant difference in body iron stores exists in different age groups. CONCLUSION: A significant difference was noted in the iron stores in gender groups and the probability of depleted/low iron stores was higher in female gender as compared to male gender in all age groups in our population.

Serum Ferritin - A Marker for Iron Store: A Review

“…Women that usaully use stored to cover for iron lost through lactation, mensturation, or even pregnacy have lower non hemoglobin body stores, which may consist of 500mg or even less (17). About 400mg of iron stored in the human body is devoted to cellular proteins that use iron for essential cellular processes like storing oxygen (myoglobin) or performing energy, and producing redox reactions (cytochromes) (18). Iron deficiency initially affects the stored iron in the body, and depletion of these stores is relatively non symptomatic.…”