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[Reference values of the ferritin concentration in the serum in children]
1Universitäts-Kinderklinik Bonn.
Insights
Serum ferritin levels in healthy children vary with age and sex. Newborn ferritin concentrations decrease by the first year and stabilize with distinct sex-specific means thereafter.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Endocrinology
- Clinical Chemistry
Context:
- Ferritin, an iron-storage protein, plays a crucial role in iron homeostasis.
- Understanding pediatric ferritin concentrations is vital for assessing iron status and diagnosing related disorders.
Purpose:
- To determine age- and sex-specific serum ferritin concentrations in healthy children.
- To establish reference ranges for pediatric ferritin levels.
Summary:
- Serum ferritin was measured in 272 healthy children (148 males, 124 females) using a luminescence enhanced enzyme immunoassay.
- Ferritin levels are age-dependent, decreasing from birth through the first year.
- Post-infancy, ferritin levels stabilize with sex-specific means: 31.90 µg/L for males and 39.23 µg/L for females.
Impact:
- Provides essential reference data for pediatric iron status assessment.
- Aids in the early detection and management of iron deficiency or overload in children.
- Establishes a foundation for future research on ferritin's role in pediatric health and disease.
Abstract:
Concentrations of ferritin were determined using the luminescence enhanced enzyme immunoassay method in serum of 272 (male = 148, female = 124) "healthy" children. The ferritin concentration in children is age dependent. The newborn values (140.1-673.8 micrograms/l, 95% confidence interval) decrease until the end of the first year and stabilize thereafter in a sex specific fashion: male means = 31.90 micrograms/l (95% confidence interval: 14.0-72.2 micrograms/l), female means = 39.23 micrograms/l (95% confidence interval: 16.1-79.9 micrograms/l).