The relationship between serum ferritin and haemoglobin s level among Nigerian adolescents and young adults with sickle cell anaemia: A pilot cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: Serum ferritin in sickle cell anaemia (SCA) has been widely studied but its relationship with haemoglobin S level has not been ascertained.   

Objective: This study aimed to assess the serum ferritin level among SCA patients in steady state and relate it with haematological parameters and haemaoglobin S level.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study in which serum ferritin level was assayed using ELISA method. Haemoglobin (Hb)S level  was determined using high performance liquid chromatography and full blood count was done using haematology autoanalyser. Data was analyzed  using SPSS, version 26.

Results: Fifty SCA patients were studied. They were made up of 27 (54%) males and 23 (46%) females with age range of 10 to 36  years. The mean serum ferritin level among males and females were 253 ±135ng/ml (reference range 20 – 350ng/ml), and 242 ±131ng/ml (reference  range 10 – 200ng/ml) respectively. The majority of the population, 30 (60.0%) had serum ferritin level within the reference range, none had ferritin level  below the reference range while 20 (40.0%) had ferritin level above the reference range (borderline), but not up to 1000ng/ml (level for iron overload).  There was a significant positive correlation between serum ferritin and HbS level (r = 0.300; p = 0.034) and also positive correlation with white blood cell  count, though not significant (r = 0.201, p = 0.161).

Conclusion: Serum ferritin level has significant positive correlation with HbS level which suggests that  serum ferritin level may be used as a surrogate marker of sickle cell severity.