Evaluation of the Relationship Between Serum and Urine Ferritin Level of Low Birth Weight Infants

Background & Objective: Iron deficiency before birth or in infancy can cause long-term behavioral and neurological disorders. Measuring serum ferritin is an effective way to diagnose iron deficiency but requires significant blood volume from a low birth weight infant. Therefore, the present study was performed to investigate the relationship between serum and urinary ferritin levels in low birth weight infants.Methods: In this cross-sectional study, ۷۶ infants weighing less than ۲۵۰۰ g were studied. To measure serum ferritin level, ۱.۵ mL of blood and to measure urinary ferritin level, at least ۱ mL of urine was collected from each infant. Then the results were compared. Data analysis was performed using SPSS software version ۱۶, and the significance level was considered less than ۰.۰۵.Results: Out of ۷۶ neonates studied, ۵۱.۳% were boys, and ۸۰.۳% were premature infants. The mean birth weight of infants was ۲۰۵۶.۳۱±۳۱۸.۷۴ g, and the mean serum and urinary ferritin levels were ۱۳۴.۷۷±۷۲.۳۵ and ۸۵.۵۵±۷۰.۹۷ ng, respectively. There was a statistically significant relationship between serum and urinary ferritin levels. Also, serum ferritin and urinary ferritin levels had a statistically significant relationship with birth weight and gestational age. The higher the birth weight as well as the age at birth, the higher the serum ferritin and urinary ferritin.Conclusion: According to the findings of this study, measurement of urinary ferritin level can be used as a noninvasive tool for iron deficiency screening in low birth weight infants instead of serum ferritin level.

Keywords:

Low birth weight infants , Serum ferritin , Urine ferritin