Relationship between Acute Phase Reactants, Visceral Proteins, and Biochemical Indicators of Iron Status in a Free Living Population of Children

Indicators of iron status and protein status as well as markers of inflammatory processes were determined in 164 apparently healthy children 4 years old (±3 months) undergoing a free medical check-up in a Parisian Children's Health Examination Center. Biochemical evidence of inflammatory syndrome (without clinical signs) was observed in 32 children. Among the indicators of protein status, only the mean thyroxine-binding prealbumin was significantly lower in the group of children with inflammation than in the inflammation-free group. Among indicators of iron status, mean serum iron and transferrin saturation were significantly lower, and mean serum ferritin, significantly higher, in children with inflammatory processes. Seventy-eight percent of children with biochemical inflammatory processes had serum ferritin levels higher than 50μg/liter, and 42% had serum ferritin levels higher than 80μg/liter.Our study shows that mild inflammatory processes are not uncommon in young, apparently healthy children and may affect the capacity of prealbumin to reflect protein status as well as the capacity of most iron parameters to assess iron status. Serum ferritin, serum iron, and transferrin saturation seem to be most affected by the presence of a mild inflammatory reaction.