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Published on: September 9, 2014
[Serum transferrin receptor in healthy children]
M F Vázquez López1, A Carracedo Morales, J Muñoz Vico
1Servicios de Pediatría Hospital Torrecárdenas, Almería. mavazquezl@terra.es
Insights
Serum transferrin receptor (sTfR) levels are higher in children due to growth-related iron needs. These levels correlate with erythropoietic activity and iron status, providing a reference for healthy children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Hematology
- Iron Metabolism
- Biomarker Research
Context:
- Serum transferrin receptor (sTfR) is a known indicator of iron status and erythropoiesis in adults.
- Its role and reference ranges in healthy children remain less understood.
- Assessing iron status in children is crucial for monitoring growth and development.
Purpose:
- To establish reference ranges for sTfR concentrations in healthy children aged 1-10 years.
- To investigate age and sex-related variations in sTfR levels.
- To explore the relationship between sTfR, iron status parameters, and erythropoietin.
Summary:
- sTfR, sTfR/ferritin ratio, and sTfR-ferritin index were measured in 155 healthy children.
- Elevated sTfR levels were observed, particularly in younger children (1-2 years).
- sTfR correlated positively with erythrocyte count, hemoglobin, and total iron binding capacity, and was predicted by erythropoietin and total iron binding capacity.
Impact:
- Provides essential reference values for sTfR in healthy pediatric populations.
- Highlights the influence of growth on iron requirements and sTfR levels in children.
- Supports the use of sTfR as a biomarker for erythropoietic activity and iron status in pediatric research and clinical practice.
Background:
Serum transferrin receptor (sTfR) is a reliable tool for assessing functional iron status and erythropoietic activity in adults, but little is known about its role in children.
Objective:
To evaluate sTfR concentrations in healthy children and age and sex-related variations. A further aim was to determine the relationship of these concentrations with other iron parameters and with erythropoietin.
Patients And Methods:
Blood samples from 155 healthy children aged 1-10 years old were obtained to determine sTfR, iron status indices and erythropoietin. The sTfR/ferritin ratio and the sTfR-ferritin index (sTfR/log ferritin) were calculated. Iron deficiency and increased erythropoiesis were eliminated.
Results:
Values of sTfR, the sTfR/ferritin ratio and the sTfR-F index were 1.94 0.41mg/L (95 % CI: 1.14-2.74 mg/L), 83 40.3 (95 % CI: 4-162) and 1.4 0.36 (95 % CI: 0.69-2.1) respectively. No significant sex-related differences were found. Children aged 1-2 years old showed the highest sTfR levels. sTfR was directly related to erythrocyte count (r: 0.17; p < 0,03), hemoglobin level (r: 0.16; p < 0.05) and total iron binding capacity (r: 0.258; p < 0,001). In the multiple linear regression analysis, the best predictors of sTfR concentrations were log erythropoietin (p < 0.016) and total iron binding capacity (p < 0.0001).
Conclusions:
sTfR concentrations are elevated in children due to increased iron requirements for growth. In healthy children sTfR concentrations are related to erythropoietic activity and intracellular iron requirements. The current data are useful as a standard reference for healthy children.
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