Erythrocyte indices of iron status in children with cyanotic congenital heart disease at the University College Hospital, Ibadan

Abstract

Background Iron (Fe) deficiency is a known feature of cyanotic congenital heart disease (CCHD) and may worsen symptoms. The prevalence of iron deficiency among children with CCHD at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan is unknown. Erythrocyte indices of iron status are easier and less expensive to determine than serum iron, serum ferritin and total iron binding capacity, which are the standard tests of iron deficiency.Objectives: To examine the erythrocyte indices of iron status in childrenwith CCHD in UCH, and determine the prevalence of iron deficiencyamong such patients, by comparing the values obtained with establishedreference values.Subjects and Methods: The packed cell volume (PCV), haemoglobin(Hb), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular haemoglobinconcentration (MCHC) and red cell distribution width (RDW) of 40 children with CCHD, determined using a Sysmex 1000X1 Coulter counter, were compared with standard reference values.Results: Mean+SD values obtained were – PCV: 58.6+11.6%. MCV:80.7+12.1 ìm3, MCH: 25.9+9.5g/dl, MCHC: 30.9+4.1 and RDW:20.5.5+12.6%. Lower-than-normal values for MCV, MCH and MCHC werefound in 33.5%, 42.5% and 72.5% of patients, respectively, while77.5% had higher-than-normal values for RDW. However, using thecriteria based on a combination of RDW and MCV, 35% of patientswere iron deficient.Conclusion: A large proportion of Nigerian children with CCHD appearto be iron deficient and are therefore likely to benefit from routineiron therapy.