Serum ferritin in beta-thalassemia trait

Area of Science:

• Hematology
• Clinical Chemistry

Background:

• Iron-deficiency anemia and thalassemia trait are common causes of hypochromic-microcytic anemia.
• Distinguishing between these conditions is crucial for appropriate clinical management.
• Traditional iron status markers often show overlap between these two groups.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the diagnostic utility of serum ferritin in differentiating iron-deficiency anemia from thalassemia trait.
• To compare serum ferritin's effectiveness against other iron parameters like serum iron, transferrin saturation, and total iron-binding capacity.

Main Methods:

• Serum ferritin levels were measured and compared between patients with iron-deficiency anemia, thalassemia trait, and normal controls.
• The diagnostic performance of serum ferritin was assessed, along with other iron indices and mean corpuscular volume (MCV).

Main Results:

• Serum ferritin levels showed a clear distinction between iron deficiency and thalassemia trait, unlike serum iron, transferrin saturation, and total iron-binding capacity.
• The combination of mean corpuscular volume and serum ferritin provided the best separation among iron deficiency, thalassemia trait, and normal individuals.
• Serum ferritin measurement requires a small sample volume, making it suitable for population screening.

Conclusions:

• Serum ferritin is a valuable screening tool for the initial diagnosis of thalassemia trait.
• While definitive diagnosis requires further testing (e.g., Hb A2 levels), serum ferritin aids in early identification.
• Its suitability for small sample volumes makes it ideal for epidemiological studies in high-prevalence populations.