Potential Marker for Diagnosis and Screening of Iron Deficiency Anemia in Children

Abstract

Iron plays a role in multiple physiological functions, naming oxygen transport, gene regulation, DNA synthesis, DNA repair, and brain function. Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) may happen following iron deficiency, but iron deficiency alone may cause negative impacts on the health risk of pediatric patients. The degree of iron deficiency is described by total body iron (measured by ferritin), transport iron (measured by transferrin saturation), serum iron, and other hematologic and biochemical markers. Iron deficiency anemia is a result of insufficient iron supply causing the inability to maintain normal levels of hemoglobin. The most common causes of microcytic anemia in children are iron deficiency and thalassemia minor. There are various hematologic and biochemical parameters used for screening and diagnosis of iron deficiency anemia in children, but there is no single “best” test to diagnose iron deficiency with or without anemia. The “gold standard” for identifying iron deficiency is a direct test-bone marrow biopsy with Prussian blue staining. This article aims to explain iron metabolism in children and discuss the role of hematologic and biochemical parameters for screening and diagnosis of iron deficiency anemia in children.