The purpose of this study was to compare iron related indices in patients with iron deficiency anemia and chronic causative diseases between geriatric older than 65 years and adult, nongeriatric younger than 65 years groups. Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) cases with chronic disorders from Youngdong Severance hospital from June, 1991 to April, 1994, older than 65 years (17 cases), and younger than 65 years (29 cases) were analysed with iron related indices. Mean hemoglobin was 7.8 +/- 2.2 g/dl in geriatric IDA and 8.0 +/- 1.8 g/dl in adult IDA without significant difference. RDW value was 19.5 +/- 2.6 in geriatric IDA and 18.4 +/- 3.2 in adult IDA with no significant difference. Serum iron and transferrin saturation between geriatric IDA were 22.7 +/- 12.3 ug/dl, 6.7 +/- 4.1% and 28.6 +/- 16.6 ug/dl, 7.1 +/- 4.4% in adult IDA with no significant difference, but TIBC was significantly lower (P = 0.011) in geriatric IDA than in adult IDA patients (357.2 +/- 83.2, 413.6 +/- 54.0 ug/dl). In normal elderly people, serum ferritin was 152.5 +/- 95.4 ng/ml in male and 111.1 +/- 54.1 ng/ml in female with range 19.8 approximately 367.7 ng/ml in male and 11.7 approximately 238.7 ng/ml in female and was higher than that of normal adult in both sexes (147.0 +/- 108.0, 35.3 +/- 20.5 ng/ml) (P = 0.045). Serum ferritin in geriatric IDA was 13.8 +/- 11.8 ng/ml and 5.7 +/- 4.0 ng/ml in adult IDA with significant difference(P = 0.001). The Upper margin for geriatric IDA was 37 ng/ml with 95% confidence interval. In the diagnosis of geriatric IDA with causative diseases, we should consider that TIBC does not increase and the upper margin for serum ferritin is suggested to increases up to 37 ng/ml.
Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Anemia, Iron-Deficiency/*blood ; Female ; Ferritin/blood ; Hemoglobins/analysis ; Human ; Iron/blood ; Korea ; Male

In order to study the relationship between the serum ferritin level and the components of the insulin resistance syndrome in type 2 diabetic patients, we evaluated fifty type 2 diabetic patients who were selected according to NDDG/WHO criteria from those patients attending Korea University Hospital from 1997 to 1998. Twenty-five healthy non-diabetic subjects of comparable age and sex distribution acted as a control group. The results showed that the value of log ferritin was higher in the type 2 diabetes patients than the control subjects, but not at a statistically significant level (p = 0.09). Log ferritin was correlated with fasting blood sugar level (r = 0.235, p = 0.048) and body mass index (BMI) (r = 0.285, p = 0.05). In the type 2 diabetic patients, log ferritin was correlated with fasting C-peptide (r = 0.478, p = 0.009). In the control subjects, log ferritin was correlated only with BMI (r = 0.477, p = 0.012). In a stepwise multiple regression analysis, the diabetic group showed a significant correlation between fasting C-peptide and log ferritin (p = 0.001). In the control group, the fasting sugar level was significantly correlated with log ferritin (p = 0.034). These results suggest that serum ferritin can be employed as a marker of not only glucose homeostasis but also insulin resistance both in type 2 diabetic and control subjects.
Aged ; Body Mass Index ; C-Peptide/blood ; Carbohydrates/blood ; Diabetes Mellitus, Non-Insulin-Dependent/blood* ; Female ; Ferritin/blood* ; Human ; Male ; Middle Age ; Reference Values

In this study, the effects of chronically administered aluminum on iron metabolism-related parameters of liver and blood of mice were investigated. An additional purpose to determine how chronic aluminum administration together with vitamin E as an antioxidant to mice changed the parameters related to iron metabolism. For these purposes, we used 21 adult female Balb-c mice in this study. The animals were divided into three groups: one group with aluminum administered chronically, another group with aluminum plus vitamin E administered chronically, and the control group. Serum levels of hemoglobin, ferritin, iron, transferrin, hematocrit, total iron binding capacity (TIBC), as well as percentage of transferrin saturation were determined in all groups. In addition, the liver tissue levels of ferritin and iron were analyzed. Hemoglobin and hematocrit levels of the aluminum group and aluminum plus vitamin E group were significantly decreased compared to the control. In conclusion, no changes occurred in the serum iron related parameters although Al induced anemia in mice when Al administered chronically. There was an increase in the levels of liver iron and ferritin with Al, but Vit E had no effect on the changes of all blood and liver parameters caused by Al.
Aluminum/*pharmacology ; Anemia, Iron-Deficiency/blood/*chemically induced/prevention & control ; Animals ; Antioxidants/pharmacology ; Female ; Ferritin/metabolism ; Hematocrit ; Hemoglobins ; Iron/*blood ; Liver/*drug effects/metabolism ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Vitamin E/pharmacology

A 13-yr-old female was admitted to our hospital with fever, seizure, and cervical lym-phadenopathy. Laboratory data showed pancytopenia, elevation of serum transaminase, lactate dehydrogenase, triglyceride, and ferritin levels. Lymph node biopsy revealed features of Kikuchi's disease and there were signs of histiocytosis and hemophagocytic phenomenon in bone marrow. She recovered after treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin and corticosteroids therapy. Hemophagocytic syndrome can be associated with Kikuchi's disease especially in childhood and seems to have a less aggressive clinical course and better prognosis.
Adolescent ; Adrenal Cortex Hormones/therapeutic use ; Biopsy ; Bone Marrow Cells/metabolism/pathology ; Female ; Ferritin/blood ; Histiocytic Necrotizing Lymphadenitis/*complications/*diagnosis ; Histiocytosis, Non-Langerhans-Cell/*complications/*diagnosis ; Human ; Immunoglobulins/metabolism/therapeutic use ; L-Lactate Dehydrogenase/blood ; Lymph Nodes/pathology ; Lymphatic Diseases/diagnosis ; Necrosis ; Pancytopenia/diagnosis ; Prognosis ; Transaminases/blood ; Triglycerides/blood