Abstract
Background: Iron overload has been recognized to be a risk factor for numerous acute and chronic illnesses. It is generally assumed to be rare and acknowledgment of iron toxicity is difficult for some nutritional scientists, clinicians and laypersons. There is also a heightened interest to raise body iron through universal iron “fortified” foods.
Objective: This study investigated the need to examine the policy of unselective iron supplementation in a subSaharan African community.
Methods: This is a descriptive study carried out on 98 apparently healthy women attending a Papanicolaou (PAP) smear clinic for routine cervical cancer screening. Information on demographic data and diet were obtained with structured questionnaires and serum samples were analyzed for serum iron (SI) and total iron binding capacity (TIBC) which were used to derive the values for tranferrin saturation (TS%). Iron overload was defined by tranferrin saturation greater than 50%.
Results: The prevalence of iron overload was 8.2% in women aged 26-71 years. Skilled workers constituted 44.9% of the population while semi-skilled and housewives were 50% and 5.1% respectively. Eighty four percent of the women had been on iron vitamin supplement at one time or the other. Mild anaemia was present in 25% of the women with iron overload. The prevalence of iron overload between women who were actively reproducing and those who were not was not statistically different.
Conclusions: Iron overload is common, therefore, iron studies may be included in routine investigation and selective iron supplementation should be encouraged. Moreso, iron loading anaemia should be ruled out in patients with anaemia before prescribing iron therapy.
Keywords: Iron overload, transferrin saturation, iron supplement,anaemia.
Résumé
Contexte: surcharge en fer a été reconnu pour être un facteur de risque pour de nombreuses maladies aiguës et chroniques. Il est généralement supposé d’être rares et accusé de fer toxicité est difficile pour certains les spécialistes de la nutrition, des cliniciens et des profanes. Il y a aussi un regain d’intérêt de soulever corps fer par fer universel “fortifié” les aliments.
Objectif: Cette étude a examiné la nécessité d’examiner la politique sélective de supplémentation en fer dans une Afrique subsaharienne communauté africaine.
Méthodes: Il s’agit d’une étude descriptive effectuée sur 98, apparemment en bonne santé des femmes fréquentant un PAP smear clinic de routine de dépistage du cancer du col de l’utérus. Informations sur des données démographiques et de l’alimentation ont été obtenues avec questionnaires structurés et des échantillons de sérum ont été analysés pour fer sérique (IS) et fer total capacité de reliure (TIBC) qui ont été utilisées pour calculer les valeurs de saturation tranferrin (TS% ) .surcharge en fer a été défini par tranferrin saturation supérieure à 50 %.
Résultats: La prévalence de surcharge en fer a été de 8,2 % chez les femmes âgées de 26-71 ans.travailleurs qualifiés constituaient 44,9 % de la population tandis que des travailleurs semi-qualifiés et les ménagères étaient de 50% et 5,1 % respectivement. Quatre-vingt-quatre pour cent des femmes avaient été sur le fer supplément de vitamine à un moment ou à un autre .une légère anémie était présent dans 25% des femmes avec surcharge en fer. La prévalence de surcharge en fer entre les femmes qui ont été activement reproduisant et ceux qui n’étaient pas n’étaient pas statistiquement différents.
Conclusions: surcharge en fer est donc commune fer études peuvent être inclus dans la routine enquête sélective et supplémentation en fer doit être encouragé .agglomérations urbaines, chargement de fer anémie devrait être exclue dans les patients présentant une anémie avant de prescrire une thérapie en fer.
Correspondence: Dr. Foluke A. Fasola, Department of Haematology, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria. E-mail: folukefasola@yahoo.com
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