TABLE 3.
Selection of iron biomarkers for iron deficiency1
| Biomarkers | |
| Individual | |
| Children aged 2–5 y | sTfR:SF and ZPP |
| Children aged >5 y, adolescents, and adults | sTfR:SF |
| Infants and children aged <2 y | sTfR:SF and ZPP |
| Cord blood | ? |
| Pregnancy (trimesters 1 and 2) | sTfR:SF |
| Pregnancy (trimester 3) | ? |
| Population | |
| Children aged >6 mo, adolescents, and adults | sTfR:SF |
| Cord blood and infants aged <6 mo | ? |
| Pregnancy (trimester 1) | sTfR:SF |
| Pregnancy (trimesters 2 and 3) | ? |
| Interventions | |
| Children aged >6 mo, adolescents, adults, and pregnancy | sTfR:SF, SF, and hemoglobin |
1
sTfR, serum transferrin receptor; SF, serum ferritin; ZPP, zinc protoporphyrin; ?, unknown. Additional research is needed to improve the correction of SF for the acute-phase response. With improved technology, the ZPP:heme ratio could become a specific tool for the identification of children who live in malarious regions and are likely to benefit from iron supplements.