RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Cord blood transferrin receptors to assess fetal iron status
JF Archives of Disease in Childhood - Fetal and Neonatal Edition
JO Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
SP F46
OP F48
DO 10.1136/fn.85.1.F46
VO 85
IS 1
A1 David G Sweet
A1 Geraldine A Savage
A1 Richard Tubman
A1 Terence R J Lappin
A1 Henry L Halliday
YR 2001
UL http://fn.bmj.com/content/85/1/F46.abstract
AB OBJECTIVE To study iron status at different gestational ages using cord blood serum transferrin receptors (STfRs).METHODS STfRs, iron, ferritin, total iron binding capacity, haemoglobin, and reticulocytes were measured in 144 cord blood samples. The babies were divided into three groups according to gestation (26 very preterm (24–29 weeks); 50 preterm (30–36 weeks); 68 term (37–41 weeks)).RESULTS Serum iron, ferritin, and total iron binding capacity were highest at term, whereas reticulocytes were highest in the very preterm. STfR levels were not influenced by gestation. Haemoglobin (r = 0.46; p < 0.0001) and reticulocytes (r = 0.42; p < 0.0001) were the only indices that independently correlated with STfR levels.CONCLUSIONS STfR levels in cord blood are not directly influenced by gestation and probably reflect the iron requirements of the fetus for erythropoiesis.