Prevalence of iron deficiency and iron-deficiency anaemia in Benin.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to S Hercberg.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Frequency of anaemia was estimated by two methods for 254 menstruating women living in South-eastern Algeria. One method defines the frequency of anaemia as the percentage of women with haemoglobin concentrations below the cut-off point defined by WHO (12 g/dl). The second method defines the frequency of anaemia as the percentage of women whose haemoglobin values are shifted downwards relative to a Gaussian distribution of haemoglobin of nonanaemic women. The conventional cut-off point probably tends to overestimate the true frequency of anaemia: 7% of women with haemoglobin concentration less than 12 g/dl were not found as anaemic using the cumulative frequency method. The contribution of iron deficiency folate deficiency and inflammatory process was estimated using the cumulative frequency distribution after excluding respectively women with biological evidence of iron deficiency (serum ferritin of 12 micrograms/l or less, transferrin saturation less than 15% and/or MCV less than 80 fl), of folate deficiency (red blood cell folates less than 100 micrograms/l) and of inflammatory process (C. Reactive Protein more than 12 mg/l, orosomucoid more than 1.4 g/l or white cell counts of more than 10,000/mm3). According to this method iron deficiency represented the most important cause of anaemia in the context of our sample: iron deficiency contributed to 77% of anaemia. Folate deficiency and inflammatory processes do not in themselves appear to contribute to anaemia.
Indicators of iron status, markers of inflammatory processes, serum immunoglobulins and C3 and C4 components of complement were assessed in 142 children 10-months old. All the iron parameters and most of the indicators of humoral immunity were correlated with markers of inflammation. Sixty-two children presented biochemical indications of inflammation (high CRP or orosomucoid level, or hyperleukocytosis), while 80 children were free of it. In the latter group, the use of a combination of iron indicators enabled separation of iron-sufficient children from those with different degrees of iron deficiency, ranging from iron depletion to iron-deficiency anemia. Serum IgG and IgA were significantly lower only in the group of iron-depleted children. Serum ferritin was significantly positively correlated with IgA, IgM and C4. Iron depletion may be responsible for a decrease humoral immunity. This effect was not visible at more advanced stages of iron deficiency.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
An assessment of iron status was performed on 112 pregnant women at delivery (and on their newborns in 70 cases) and on 114 menstruating women in N'Djamena, Chad. Anaemia (according to the haematocrit value) was observed in 25.0% of pregnant women and in 23.7% of menstruating women. Iron deficiency was defined as the combination of a low serum ferritin level (less than or equal to 12 micrograms/l), a low transferrin saturation (less than 16%) and/or a high erythrocyte protoporphyrin (greater than 3 micrograms/g Hb). A moderate increase in the serum ferritin level (between 13 and 50 micrograms/l) associated with a low transferrin saturation and/or a high erythrocyte protoporphyrin concentration indicated iron-deficiency in an inflammatory context. Iron deficiency was present in 66.9% of pregnant women and in 30.7% of menstruating women. Anaemia was associated with iron deficiency in 78.6% of cases in anaemic pregnant women and in 44.4% of cases in anaemic menstruating women. A correlation between maternal and newborn haematopoiesis was found, and some iron parameters in newborns were related to the iron status of mothers.
Hemoglobin, hematocrit, serum iron and total iron-binding capacity were measured in 38 apparently healthy children living in Quito (2:800 meters in altitude). One child was considered anemic according to the WHO reference adjusted to altitude (hemoglobin less than 12.3 g/dl) and 10 had transferrin saturation of less than 15%. Thirty children received orally 2 mg/kg per day of elemental iron for 3 mth. A significant increase in hemoglobin level, serum iron-concentration, and transferrin saturation, and a significant decrease in total iron-binding capacity were observed. Nine children increased their hemoglobin concentration by greater than 1 g/100 ml and could be considered as true anemics. At the end of the supplementation, only one child had a transferrin saturation coefficient of less than 15%. WHO references for hemoglobin adjusted to altitude seem to underestimate the prevalence of anemia for populations living at high altitudes.
An assessment of iron and folic acid status, blood thick film and haemoglobin (Hb) electrophoresis was performed on 126 pregnant women (and their newborn infants) and in ninety-five menstruating women in Cotonou (Benin). Anaemia (according to the World Health Organization (1972] was observed in 55% of pregnant women and in 39% of menstruating women. Fe-deficiency was defined as a low serum ferritin concentration (12 micrograms/l or less), combined with a low transferrin saturation (less than 16%) or a high erythrocyte protoporphyrin level (more than 3 micrograms/g Hb), or both. A moderate elevation in the serum ferritin concentration (between 13 and 50 micrograms/l), associated with a low transferrin saturation or a high erythrocyte protoporphyrin level, or both, indicated Fe-deficiency in an inflammatory context. Fe-deficiency was present in 73% of pregnant women and in 41% of menstruating women. Folate deficiency (defined as erythrocyte folate below 160 micrograms/l) was observed in 45% of pregnant women. In pregnant women, anaemia was associated with Fe-deficiency in 83% of cases and with folate deficiency in 48% of cases. Haemoglobinopathies were mainly heterozygous and did not seem to contribute significantly to anaemia. Intensity of malaria was not related to Hb level, but Plasmodium falciparum was found in 99% of subjects. Hb concentration and mean corpuscular volume were significantly lower in babies born of Fe-deficient mothers than in babies born of Fe-sufficient mothers. Hb concentration in newborn infants was positively correlated with maternal serum ferritin.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
We assessed the nutritional status of 302 menstruating women living in three urban, semi-rural and rural areas of eastern Algeria. The anthropometric data and the biochemical measurements (serum levels of total proteins, albumin, transferrin and prealbumin) have shown the absence of protein malnutrition and the evidence of problems of overweight, whatever the criterion used (body mass index or relative weight). There were no differences according to the residence. Anemia (defined by WHO references) was observed in 28% of urban women, 19% of semi-rural women and in 32% of rural women. Iron deficiency (defined by the association of serum ferritin level of 12 micrograms/l or less and transferrin saturation less than 15%) was observed in 29, 27 and 22% of the cases, respectively. Folate deficiency (defined by concentration of red blood cell folates of less than 100 micrograms/l) was observed in 48, 45 and 22% of cases, respectively. Finally, 81% of anemia were associated with biochemical evidence of iron and/or folate deficiency.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
An evaluation of iron status was performed in 84 pregnant women at delivery (and in cord blood from their newborn) and in a control group of 32 menstruating women living in Quito (2800 m altitude). Anemia as defined according to the WHO references adjusted to altitude was observed in 46% of pregnant women. Iron deficiency was defined as the combination of a low serum ferritin level (12 micrograms/l or less) and a low transferrin saturation percentage (less than 16%). A moderate elevation in the serum ferritin concentration (between 13 and 50 micrograms/l) associated with low transferrin saturation indicated iron deficiency in an inflammatory context. Iron deficiency was present in 46% of pregnant women. Anemia was associated with iron deficiency in 59% of cases. A correlation between maternal and cord blood hemoglobin was found and some iron parameters in cord blood were related to maternal iron status, and especially to maternal iron stores assessed by serum ferritin concentration.
Iron status, folacin status, haemoglobinopathies, malarial infection and intestinal parasitosis frequencies were assessed in a representative sample of 586 subjects living in a rural district of South Benin. Anaemia according to WHO reference values for haemoglobin was observed in 42 per cent of subjects. The prevalence was higher in children and menstruating women. Iron deficiency, defined by two or more abnormal values in the four independent indicators of iron status used (transferrin saturation, erythrocyte protoporphyrin, serum ferritin, and mean corpuscular volume) was present in 30 per cent of subjects. Half of the anaemias were associated with iron deficiency. Folate deficiency was associated with anaemia in 20 per cent of subjects. Anaemia, iron and folacin status were not significantly related to the degree of malarial infection nor to the type of haemoglobin. Although hookworm infection was very common, there was no significant relationship between egg count and haemoglobin level or haematological parameters of iron and folacin status. The lack of correlation can be explained by the low wormload observed.
Serum ferritin, haemoglobin, serum iron and total iron binding capacity were determined in 203 healthy menstruating women (32.9 +/- 0.6 years). Demographic and medical data were collected in the whole sample. Dietary intakes were evaluated by the dietary history method in a randomized subsample of 127 women. One fifth of the women had exhausted iron stores, as defined by a serum ferritin of 12 micrograms/l or less. The duration of menses influenced the serum ferritin concentration but contraception did not. Most of women had daily iron intake below the recommended dietary allowances for menstruating women. Serum ferritin was not correlated with daily total iron intake. But a relationship was found between serum ferritin and dietary intakes; intakes of meat, dairy products and coffee had a significant effect of serum ferritin concentration.
Serum ferritin, hemoglobin, serum iron and transferrin iron-binding capacity were evaluated in 107 healthy female students. 21 women had a serum ferritin of 12 micrograms/l or less, corresponding to an exhaustion of body iron stores. After 1 month of iron supplementation, significant increase of hemoglobin concentration and decrease of total iron-binding capacity were observed. Mean serum ferritin had increased from 24 to 41 micrograms/l, and all women had a serum ferritin above 12 micrograms/l. 1 month after the end of the trial, serum ferritin fell significantly. This study points out the problem of serum ferritin reference values and the definition of normal iron stores in menstruating women.
Serum ferritin and haematological variables were determined in 476 healthy French students (21.3 +/- 0.2 years). Information was collected on the duration of menses and contraceptive uses. Dietary intakes were assessed by the dietary history method in a randomized subsample of 157 women. The proportion of anaemic subjects was low, but 16 per cent of women had exhausted iron stores (serum ferritin less than or equal to 12 micrograms/l). Duration of menses was negatively correlated with serum ferritin concentration. The mean iron intake was 10.92 +/- 0.02 mg/d. Only fewer than 5 per cent of the students had daily iron intakes corresponding to the recommended dietary allowances for menstruating women (greater than or equal to 16 mg/d). There was a positive correlation between energy consumption and iron intake (r = 0.79, P less than 10(-9) ). Tea and dairy products intakes appeared to have a significant negative correlation with serum ferritin. The positive correlation between serum ferritin and haemoglobin suggests that decreased or depleted iron stores are associated with suboptimal haemoglobin values. This raises the problem of the definition of normal serum ferritin and haemoglobin values in menstruating women.
Iron deficiency constitutes a major problem of Public Health affecting 10 to 20% of the world population. Although developing countries are specially susceptible, developed countries are also at risk. The use of reliable indicators of iron status is essential for assessing the magnitude and the distribution of iron deficiency in populations, and for developing effective public health measures. In this paper, the different indicators of iron status are briefly reviewed. The signification of these indicators, as reflect of a change in different body iron compartmentalization is also presented. In addition, their limitations in epidemiological surveys have been evaluated. It appears that no single iron parameter monitors the entire spectrum of iron deficiency. A combination of indicators, depending on the objectives of the study, the characteristics of the study population and the working conditions is required to measure the body iron content of individuals and to evaluate the iron status of the population.