Abstract
Objective: We evaluated the utility of serum ferritin determination for diagnosing iron deficiency at early stage of adult females in ningen dock. Methods: We measured serum ferritin level of 1,046 adult males and 597 adult females who underwent ningen dock examinations in our institution between May 2002 and December 2003. To estimate the sensitivity of serum tests for iron deficiency we analyzed the data of the serological tests for iron metabolism. We computed probable costs of serum tests for iron metabolism, HBs antigens, HCV antibody and serum tumor markers in the laboratory in our hospital. Results: Of the 597 women 27% were diagnosed as having iron deficiency and the rate of iron deficiency in female examinees in the 30-49 year age group was as high as 39-42%. Of the 1046 adult men 2% were diagnosed as having iron deficiency. Of all the serum tests for iron deficiency, the serum ferritin determination was the most sensitive. According to the cost accounting in our laboratory the cost of serum ferritin proved to be almost the same as that of tumor markers and HCV antibody which have been measured widely in ningen dock recently. Conclusions: These results suggest it is useful and cost-effective to measure serum ferritin level in the female examinees of ningen dock. It is important to diagnose iron deficiency at the early stage to prevent iron deficiency anemia as lifestyle related disease of adult females.
