Pre-and post-donation ferritin level of blood donors attending University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Donor Clinic in Southern Nigeria

While trying to save the patient via blood transfusion, the safety of the blood donor is paramount. This study evaluated the pre-and post-donation ferritin and packed cell volume (PCV) of donors attending University of Calabar Teaching Hospital.Method: The study adopted descriptive longitudinal approach. A total of 18 donors with age range of 18 ­48years were enrolled and followed up for 30 days post-donation. The serum ferritin was analyzed using ELISA method while the PCV was analyzed using the microhematocrit method. Difference between means was performed using repeated measure ANOVA while post hoc was done using Bonferroni adjustment. Prediction of return to baseline values were performed using logistic regression. Alpha value was placed at 0.05 There was a decline in ferritin and packed cell volume from pre-to post-donation. The decline in ferritin was imminent until day 14 when recovery was initiated. Significant difference was observed between the pre-donation ferritin and the rest of the days except day 30. There was also a decline in PCV from pre-donation all through with recovery noticeable after day 7. The PCV of the pre-donation was only comparable to the day 30 post-donation. Approximately 5.6% (n=1) of the subjects was iron deficient pre-donation.Approximately 25% (n=4) of the subject have returned to baseline PCV while 0% of the subjects have returned to baseline ferritin at day 30 post-donation.Conclusion: For the safety of the donor, donation interval should be widened, and iron supplement followed up

Iron deficiency in South African children and adolescents with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

Objective: Iron deficiency may play a role in the pathophysiology of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) by causing dopamine dysfunction, but there is conflicting evidence in the literature regarding this relationship. This study investigates the possible correlation between iron deficiency and ADHD in children and adolescents attending a South African child and adolescent psychiatry outpatient service.Method: In this retrospective study, we gathered data from 245 outpatient children and adolescents who had their serum ferritin and/or iron levels tested between February 2011 and January 2016. Relevant statistical methods were used to test for correlations between ADHD and various demographic and clinical factors, including iron deficiency.Results: Out of 245 patients, 88 (35.9%) had iron deficiency, 156 (63.7%) had ADHD and 55 (22.4%) had both iron deficiency and ADHD. Variables found to be significantly correlated with ADHD included gender, age, and methylphenidate treatment, but there was no significant correlation between ADHD and iron deficiency.Conclusions: Our study emphasizes the great complexity involved in understanding ADHD. Comparisons between mentally-ill paediatric patients and matched healthy controls from the same communities are required to further explore the possible association between iron deficiency and ADHD

Reticulocyte Haemoglobin Content as a Diagnostic Tool for Iron Deficiency and Iron-Deficiency Anaemia in Ill Infants and Children

Background. The diagnosis of iron deficiency (ID) and iron-deficiency anaemia (IDA) in ill children is complicated by the unreliability of serum ferritin (S-ferritin). The presence of a microcytic; hypochromic anaemia suggests IDA but is not specific. There is a need for a diagnostic test that will be accessible; cost-effective and accurate for the diagnosis of ID in ill children. Studies done in healthy children have reported that reticulocyte haemoglobin content (CHr) is a reliable diagnostic test for ID; eliminating the need for S-ferritin determination.Objective. To evaluate the accuracy of CHr to diagnose ID and IDA in ill infants and children.Methods. A prospective; descriptive study was conducted. One hundred children; aged 6 months to 6 years; who were admitted to Pelonomi Regional Hospital; Bloemfontein; South Africa; during July 2012 and August 2012 were included. Results. The study group was divided into an iron-deficient group and an iron-sufficient group based on transferrin saturation (TfS). A statistically significant difference was found between mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH); serum transferrin and CHr in these two groups (p=0.0001). The sensitivity of a CHr level ?29 pg to detect ID was 86; and the specificity was 50. Conclusion. CHr is an accurate diagnostic test for ID; and for IDA in combination with a low haemoglobin level; in ill infants and children

Cord blood haemoglobin and ferritin concentrations in newborns of anaemic and non-anaemic mothers in Lagos, Nigeria

Background: Pre-delivery haemoglobin and serum ferritin concentrations of anaemic and non-anaemic mothers were determined, and cord blood haemoglobin and serum ferritin concentrations of their newborns were compared. This is to establish the mean values for pre-delivery haemoglobin and serum ferritin concentrations of anaemic and non-anaemic mothers and the cord blood haemoglobin and serum ferritin concentrations of their newborns at term. Materials and Methods: A case­control study was done involving 142 pregnant women and their newborns. They were divided into two groups - the anaemic group (n = 65) and the non-anaemic (n = 77) group. Five millilitres of blood was collected from each woman and 2 ml was collected from the cord of their newborns into ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) bottle and plain bottle for full blood count analysis and ferritin assay, respectively. Results: The mean pre-delivery haemoglobin concentrations of the women in anaemic group and non-anaemic group were 9.5 ± 1.01 g/dl and 12.15 ± 1.07 g/dl, respectively, and their mean serum ferritin concentrations were 64.45 ± 138.76 µg/l and 32.83 ± 35.36 µg/l, respectively. The mean cord blood haemoglobin concentrations for anaemic and for non-anaemic groups were 12.54 ± 2.54 g/dl and 13.44 ± 2.23 g/dl (P = 0.02), respectively, and the mean cord blood serum ferritin concentrations (non-anaemic, 69.38 ± 78.88 µg/l; anaemic, 7.26 ± 115.60 µg/l) (P = 0.00) were higher in the newborns of non-anaemic than of anaemic mothers. Significant association was found between maternal anaemia and cord blood ferritin concentrations (P = 0.025). Conclusion: Maternal anaemia has significant effects on cord blood haemoglobin and serum ferritin concentrations