Epidemiology of iron-deficiency anemia in the Canarian Island (ENCA 97-98)

Abstract

Background: Iron deficiency is one of the most common forms of nutritional deficiency. In this article, we describe the situation of iron-deficiency anemia at Canarian Islands, with mention of biochemical markers at each stage (ferritin; mean corpuscular volume; hemoglobin) Methods: We obtained blood samples from 782 participants (aged: 6-75 years) during the Biochemical Assessment phase of the Nutritional Survey at the whose Canarian Islands (ENCA 97-98). We made a description of the people values were below normal ranges (ferritin <12 mg/dl; MCV <80 fl.; hemoglobin <12 g/dl; <13 g/dl in men older than 11 years). Results: Ferritin: 15% of participants had ferritin levels below the normal range (4% of the total of men; 25% of the total of women). The most affected group were women aged 6 to 49 (31% of these women were affected). MCV: 5% of participants had a MCV level below the normal range. Iron deficient erythopoiesis: (low ferritin + low MCV). There were 2,4% of participants in this stage (0,6% of the men; 4% of the women). Again, the most affected group were women aged below 49 (5,4%). Hemoglobin: There were 7% of subjects below the normal range. Iron deficiency anemia (iron-deficient erythropoiesis + low hemoglobin). 1,5% of the population of our study were in this stage (0,3% of the men; 2,5% of the women). Conclusions: The criteria that define each stage are different depending on the study. The prevalence of iron-deficiency anemia at the ENCA exceeds slightly the values of other national studies. The most affected parameter is ferritin. Women aged 18 to 49 are the most vulnerable.