Serum ferritin and iron status in a population of ‘healthy’ 85-year-old individuals

Abstract

Iron status, including S-ferritin, S-iron, S-total iron binding capacity (TIBC), TIBC saturation, haemoglobin (Hb) and dietary iron intake, was assessed in a population study comprising 92 healthy 85-year-old subjects (32 males, 60 females). S-iron, S-TIBC, TIBC saturation and S-ferritin values were not significantly different in the two sexes. Males had a geometric mean S-ferritin of 130 (ig/1, females of 98 (ig/1. Ferritin levels <15 (j.g/1 (i.e. depleted iron stores) were found in one female (1.6%); and in one male (3.1%), who in addition had iron deficiency anaemia. None of the females displayed latent iron deficiency (i.e. S-ferritin <15 (ig/1 and S-TIBC saturation <15%) or iron deficiency anaemia. Arithmetic mean Hb was 145 ± 13 (SD) g/1 (9.0±0.8 mmol/l) in males and 139 ± 11 g/1 (8.6±0.7 mmol/l) in females (p<0.02). Median nutritional iron intake was 10 mg/day (range 3-17), higher in males (median 12) than in females (median 9) (p<0.0001). Iron intake showed significant correlations to S-iron, S-TIBC and TIBC saturation, but not to S-ferritin.

Key Words:

• aged
• ferritin
• haemoglobin
• iron metabolism
• transferrin