Estimation of Serum Iron and Ferritin in Patients with Chronic Renal Failure

Background:  The incidence of renal failure, and potentially of CRF, is increasing steadily in Sudan. Anaemia is an accompaniment and independent risk factor for the development of cardiac dysfunction along with other complications. It is also responsible for 40-50% deaths in CRF patients. For this reason, the quick and accurate diagnosis of anaemia should help in decreasing the morbidity caused by CRF. The correction of anaemia, e.g. by the administration of iron supplements and/or erythropoietin, should help improving the general outcome of CRF. methods: Fifty patients with chronic renal failure, already diagnosed clinically and on laboratory basis were selected as a sample group. Another 50 healthy individuals not known to have renal disease were selected as a control group. 5 ml of venous blood was collected in lithium heparin container for iron and ferritin. Concentration of iron was measured by colorimetric method by using SPINREACT™ and serum ferritin by Turbilatex-Ferritin kit. The data obtained were analyzed by using statistical package for social science (SPSS) on programmed computer. Results: The mean ± SD of serum ferritin was calculated in patients and controls and it was found 72 μg/L ± 16.2  for patients and 96 μg/L ± 19.7 for controls the (p-value 0.000). Also the mean ± SD of serum iron was obtain from patients and controls and was found 41μg/dL ± 29.2 and 87 μg/dL ± 47.5 respectively with (p-value = 0.000). There were a weak negative correlation between serum iron and serum ferritin concentrations in patients and controls (R -0.161). Conclusion: The study concludes that serum iron and ferritin levels in CRF patients are significantly low in comparison to healthy controls.