Salivary Ferritin is a Diagnostic Marker in Iron Deficiency Anaemia in Children

Introduction: Iron deficiency anemia is the most common nutritional problem in children in Bangladesh. We need to establish a less invasive, easy method to diagnose iron deficiency anemia in children. Saliva contains ferritin and it is higher than the normal level in iron deficiency anemia. Salivary ferritin level changes even before hematological changes, and it is convenient, painless, easy to collect. In Bangladesh, most of the patients are unable to bear the costly investigations. Salivary ferritin assay may be beneficial both for the pediatric patients and the physicians in our country.

Methodology: This cross-sectional study was carried out in the Department of Clinical pathology, in collaboration with Department of Pediatrics and Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, BSMMU from March ’2013 to February ’2014. From the outdoor patient department with age group 3-18-year-old of patients were included in the study.

Results: In this study, clinically suspected 50 iron deficiency anaemic patients were included as per inclusion criteria. Their CBC, PBF, CRP, serum ferritin and salivary ferritin were done. Serum ferritin and salivary ferritin were done by ELISA method. Statistical comparison of the mean values of salivary ferritin and serum ferritin levels was done. Validity of salivary ferritin was done by calculating sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV and accuracy.

Conclusion: In this study, salivary ferritin had sensitivity 90.9% and specificity 83.3% in the detection of iron deficiency. Salivary ferritin can be used as a reliable and useful marker for detection of iron deficiency anemia in children.