Value of Soluble Transferrin Receptors and sTfR/log Ferritin in the Diagnosis of Iron Deficiency Accompanied by Acute Infection

Abstract

There are many causes of anemia; the most common of these are acute and chronic infections, iron deficiency, or both. Identifying the cause is a very important step in management of anemia. So, we evaluated the usefulness of soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR) and of the sTfR/log ferritin in the diagnosis of iron deficiency anemia accompanied by acute infection. This study was conducted on 131 children aged 2-11 years old from those who attended the pediatric outpatient clinics in Menoufia university hospital. Hematological indices, iron balance and sTfR were evaluated and the sTfR/log F was calculated for each examined child. From the examined children four groups were distinguished (control): included 34 healthy children with normal iron status (66.7% males, age 4.2 ± 1.2). (IDA): included 38 children diagnosed as iron deficiency anemia (47.4% males, age 4.9 ± 1.6). (IDA + infection): included 26 children with infectious disease (upper respiratory tract infection, otitis media, pneumonia, stomatitis, and urinary tract infection) and anemia meeting criteria of IDA (50% males, age 4.2 ± 0.7). (anemia + infection): included 33 children with infectious anemia without iron deficiency (56.2% males, age 5.06 ± 1.4). It was proved that sTfR and sTfR/log Ferritin were significantly higher in children with anemia due to iron deficiency, and in those with infection + iron deficiency, versus those with infectious anemia or in healthy children. The use of sTfR and sTfR/log ferritin improves the diagnosis of IDA in pediatric patients, especially in the presence of coexisting acute infection.

Serum levels of inhibitory costimulatory molecules and correlations with levels of innate immune cytokines in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis

“…Diabetes and AIDS also increase susceptibility to tuberculosis. 37 , 38 The prevalence of PTB in diabetic patients with poor glycemic control was significantly higher than that in patients with good glycemic control. 39…”

Iron status, immune system, and expression of brain divalent metal transporter 1 and dopamine receptors D1 interrelationship in Parkinson’s disease and the role of grape seed and green coffee bean extracts and quercetin in mitigating the disease in rats

“…In rats with iron deficiency anemia, hemoglobin level and serum iron were lower, while TIBC was higher than normal rats (42). A reduction in the percentage transferrin saturation and ferritin together with an increase in soluble transferrin receptors indicate a state of iron deficiency anemia (43,44). Also, it was reported that elevated sTfR/ log ferritin is an efficient index of iron deficiency anemia whether the subject suffers from inflammation or not (44).…”

Ulcerative Colitis, Immune System and Iron Status Inter-Relationship and the Protective Role of Date and Grape Seed Extracts in Rat Model

“…When IDA occurs, erythroferrone, a hormone produced by bone marrow erythroblasts, increased and acts on hepatocytes to suppress hepcidin production and thereby increases dietary iron absorption and mobilization from stores [32,33]. It was reported that sTfR were significantly higher than normal in children with IDA [34] and the increase is proportional to tissue iron deficit. The sTfR are sensitive, early and highly quantitative marker of iron depletion.…”