Absence Of Iron Deficiency Research Articles

Fasting (acute energy deprivation) in man: effect on polymorphonuclear granulocyte functions, plasma iron and serum transferrin.

The effect of 10 days of total fasting (energy deprivation) on blood polymorphonuclear granulocyte functions, leukocyte numbers, iron and transferrin levels was evaluated in 14 healthy, normal-weight males. Granulocytes from 7 of the subjects were tested in vitro. A statistically significant depression was noted in their bactericidal capacity against Staph. aureus. The 14 subjects showed a marked decrease in the stainable activity of granulocyte alkaline phosphatase and decreases were noted in plasma iron and serum transferrin levels. The iron saturation of serum transferrin was unchanged. Thus, impairment of granulocyte bactericidal functions may occur secondarily to short-term total energy deprivation, in the absence of iron deficiency.

Iron deficiency with and without anemia in infants and children.

Among 109 infants and children from 4 months to 5 years of age from low-income families, hemoglobin concentrations lower than 11 gm/100 ml and hematocrit values lower than 33% indicated iron deficiency anemia, but higher levels did not exclude deficiency. Seventy-nine of the 109 were studied during a three-month screening program. Of these, one third had iron deficiency. When only children under 2 years of age were considered, however, the incidence was slightly more than 50%. A 24-hour food intake history correlated well with the presence or absence of iron deficiency and was a useful instrument for evaluating the adequacy of dietary iron in this population.

The Absorption, Distribution and Utilization of Intramuscularly Administered Iron—Dextran: A Radio‐isotope Study

Summary. The rate and completeness of absorption of iron from the injection site were studied after intramuscular administration of 59Fe‐labelled iron‐dextran and the pattern of radio‐iron distribution and utilization followed in normal subjects and patients with iron‐deficiency anaemia. In both normal and anaemic subjects the major part of iron absorption took place within 72 hours of injection; absorption continued at a slower rate for 28 days but little further iron clearance occurred thereafter.Rate and completeness of absorption were not related to the presence or absence of iron deficiency or to the haemoglobin level. In both normal and anaemic subjects there was marked individual variation in iron clearance. Active exercise was not found to lead to increased iron absorption but both rate and completeness of iron clearance were shown to be influenced by the site of injection. A study was made of iron clearance after multiple injections of iron‐dextran into the same site.Serial surface scintillation counting was carried out in both normal and anaemic subjects; in smaller numbers of subjects, serial estimations of serum‐iron levels were made and percentage incorporation of radio‐iron into haemoglobin measured.There was no evidence of significant excretion of radio‐iron in urine and faeces, and no toxic manifestations were observed.

Nutritional deficiency and anemia in pregnancy.

All pregnant women should receive iron supplements; 78 mg. of elemental iron daily by mouth for 24 weeks prevented the appearance of iron deficiency during pregnancy in the clinic patients studied. Hydremia occurs in pregnancy even in the absence of iron deficiency. Iron deficiency was the primary cause of anemia in 23 of 26 pregnant patients with mild or moderate anemia and macrogranulocytic or megaloblastic changes in the bone marrow; the anemia responded to iron, but the changes in the bone marrow did not. A decrease of serum folic-acid activity or of the serum concentration of vitamin B12, or both, was observed in all 26 patients. Routine administration of supplements of folic acid and of vitamin B12 is indicated in pregnancy when inadequate dietary intake is suspected.