“Which is More Accurate, the Hemoglobin or the Hematocrit?”

Discussion Iron is an essential nutrient needed for oxygen transport, storage and utilization. There are 3 stages of insufficient iron in the body which form a continuum. Iron deficiency (ID) is absence of measurable iron stores and is the first stage. The second is iron deficient erythropoiesis which is a low iron supply but with no anemia and the third stage is iron deficiency anemia (IDA) where the hemoglobin concentration falls below the normal threshold for age and sex. IDA responds to treatment with iron supplementation with at least 10 g/l in hemoglobin or 3% in hematocrit after 1 or 2 months of supplementation. ID and IDA are common in every country in the world and are known to cause impaired motor and cognitive development as well as impairing physical growth. Iron deficiency is not the only cause of anemia. Other common causes include vitamin A deficiency, folic acid, Vitamin B12 and riboflavin deficiencies. Infectious diseases such as malaria or inherited conditions that affect red cell production such as alpha- or beta-thalassemia also cause anemia. According to the World Health Organization, “Iron status can be determined by several well-established tests in addition to measurement of haemoglobin or haematocrit. Unfortunately, however, there is no single standard test to assess iron deficiency without anaemia. The use of multiple tests only partially overcomes the limitation of a single test… and is not an option in resource-poor settings.” ...
Source: PediatricEducation.org - Category: Pediatrics Authors: Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: news