Assessment of the erythrocyte protoporphyrin test for screening of iron deficiency anaemia

ABSTRACT

A total of 84 apparently healthy children between ages of 1-12 years were screened for iron deficiency with the erythrocyte protoporphyrin (EP) test. Serum iron, total iron binding capacity in serum, percent transferrin saturation, haematocrit and haemoglobin values were also determined together with the screening test. Comparing the relationship between EP and percent transferrin saturation, using a percent transferrin saturation value < 10 percent as the criterion of iron deficiency, the optimal cut off limit for the EP test appears to be 80 ug/dl of rbcs. At this level, this screening test showed a sensitivity of 74 percent and specificity of 95 percent and the positive and negative predictive values were 82 percent and 93 percent respectively. thus EP assay which is less expensive and easy to perform can be used as a screening test for the detection of iron deficiency.