Conventional indirect indicators of iron status, using serum and red blood cell biomarkers, are confounded by inflammation from common infections in sub-Saharan Africa, a region with a high prevalence of iron deficiency, making the assessment of iron balance and efficiency of iron intervention difficult. A new method allowing accurate measurement of long-term oral iron absorption and allowing the estimation of iron requirements is highly needed. Such a novel method to quantify iron absorption and requirements using isotope dilution measurements in children should be validated in the present prospective observational study by following-up a group of 49 children given a stable iron isotope in an earlier trial. We will request seven blood samples within 2 years (sampling every four months) from the participants which will allow us to measure isotopic dilution for estimating total oral iron absorption over these 24 months.
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
48
College of Medicine
Blantyre, Malawi
iron isotope composition in blood
the iron isotope ratio (tracer/tracee ratio) in blood should be analyzed with ICPMS every 120 days
Time frame: 2 years
This platform is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.