Evaluation of serum ferritin levels and other hematological parameters in a Nigerian population

Hematological parameters, including serum ferritin, were estimated in a healthy Nigerian population and in patients with other clinical conditions. The hematological values fell within the reported range for healthy populations in other parts of the world. The mean serum ferritin value in the male population was 72.4 ng/mL compared with the female value of 34.3 ng/mL. There was a strong correlation between the percentage of transferrin saturation and the serum ferritin level in males only (r = .40, P < .002).In patients with sickle cell disease, SC-group patients had a significantly higher hemoglobin concentration (P < .001) than the SS group. However, the SS group had higher values for mean corpuscular hemoglobin, mean corpuscular volume, and transferrin saturation than the SC group. Also, the mean ferritin level in the SS group (296.3 ± 61.9 ng/mL) was significantly higher (P < .01) than in the SC group (mean 180.8 ± 97.2 ng/mL).When sickle cell anemia was complicated by chronic osteomyelitis, the ferritin level was much higher (mean, 1,470 ng/mL) than at the steady state. Finally, in patients with leukemia, serum ferritin levels were much higher than in the healthy population.