The serum or plasma ferritin concentration (referred to hereafter as ferritin) is the most widely used indicator to detect iron deficiency and a low ferritin indicates depleted iron stores. However, the threshold ferritin that defines iron deficiency remains unclear and diagnostic ferritin cutoffs from expert groups vary widely. Our study aim is to define the ferritin in Kenyan young women at which the body senses iron depletion and begins to upregulate iron absorption from the diet; this approach could provide a functionally defined threshold of iron deficiency in Sub-Saharan African women.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
OTHER
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
1,000
test drink: water containing isotopic iron solution with vitamin C
Msambweni County Referral Hospital
Msambweni, Kenya
Fractional iron absorption
shift in iron isotopic ratios measured in red blood cells
Time frame: Day 14
Plasma Ferritin
Time frame: Day 0
Plasma Ferritin
Time frame: 4 months after isotope administration
Plasma Ferritin
Time frame: 8 months after isotope administration
Plasma Ferritin
Time frame: 12 months after isotope administration
soluble transferrin receptor
Time frame: Day 0
soluble transferrin receptor
Time frame: 4 months after isotope administration
soluble transferrin receptor
Time frame: 8 months after isotope administration
soluble transferrin receptor
Time frame: 12 months after isotope administration
C-reactive protein
Time frame: Day 0
C-reactive protein
Time frame: 4 months after isotope administration
C-reactive protein
Time frame: 8 months after isotope administration
C-reactive protein
Time frame: 12 months after isotope administration
alpha-1-glycoprotein
Time frame: Day 0
alpha-1-glycoprotein
Time frame: 4 months after isotope administration
alpha-1-glycoprotein
Time frame: 8 months after isotope administration
alpha-1-glycoprotein
Time frame: 12 months after isotope administration
Hemoglobin
Time frame: Day 0
Hemoglobin
Time frame: 4 months after isotope administration
Hemoglobin
Time frame: 8 months after isotope administration
Hemoglobin
Time frame: 12 months after isotope administration
Plasma Hepcidin
Time frame: Day 0
Isotopic composition of red blood cells
shift in iron isotopic ratios measured in red blood cells
Time frame: 4 months after isotope administration
Isotopic composition of red blood cells
shift in iron isotopic ratios measured in red blood cells
Time frame: 8 months after isotope administration
Isotopic composition of red blood cells
shift in iron isotopic ratios measured in red blood cells
Time frame: 12 months after isotope administration
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