[Soluble transferrin receptor-like indicator of iron nutritional status in Venezuelan preschoolers]

Soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR) is an effective tool for iron deficiency (ID) diagnosis, and unlike serum ferritin (SF) and others indicators, is not affected by acute phase response during inflammatory processes. In order to diagnose ID using sTfR as iron status indicator and to estimate its utility, a cross sectional, descriptive study was performed in 190 preschoolers of Valencia, Venezuela. sTfR and SF were assessed by enzimoimmunoassay; hemoglobin (Hb) by automated method, and parasitic infestation by stool examination. ID was defined as SF < 12 micro/L, iron deficient erythropoiesis as sTfR > 2.3 mg/L, and anemia as Hb < 11.0 g/dL and < 11.5 g/dL, according to age. Statistical analysis included descriptives, frequency distribution, chi2 and Spearman correlations. ID was highly prevalent as shown by serum ferritin (69.0%), sTfR (72.5%) and sTfR/FS ratio (81.9%). sTfR/FS ratio was more efficient in the ID diagnosis than any other indicator by itself. A high percentage of anemia was found (25.9%), from which, 79.5% was due to iron deficiency. No association to parasites was observed. It is concluded that sTfR is a useful tool for the diagnosis of iron deficiency and that a high nutritional risk for iron nutritional status. Low intake of high bio-available iron and poor socioeconomic conditions are important factors in this problem.