[Diagnosis of iron deficiency anemia with an optimum combination of tests]

Basing on the analysis of five tests including serum ferritin, erythrocyte protoporphyrin, serum iron, total iron binding capacity and transferrin saturation in 92 anemic patients who were classified into iron deficient anemia (IDA) and non-iron deficient anemia by their bone marrow iron status, three models of combination of tests were designed by varying the test combination and diagnostic levels in model 1 and 2 and multiple regression analysis in model 3. The sensitivity and specificity for IDA were 93.7% and 93.1% respectively with the optimum scheme of combination of tests from model 2 in which serum ferritin has more weight than other tests. With the optimum scheme from the model 3 which was the discriminant function, the sensitivity and specificity were 93.3% and 100% respectively when the scheme tests the cases who are not included in the calculation of the function. It will decrease the number of false-positive or false-negative diagnosis due to the complex results of combination of test when the optimum combination of tests is used in the investigation of iron status and clinical work.