| Abstract: | Serum iron and total iron binding capacity (TIBC) were determined in a population sample of 1462 women in age strata between 38 and 60. Serum iron and TIBC values were similar in the various ages studied but with a slight trend towards higher serum iron and lower TIBC values in the upper ages. Transferrin saturation was used to divide the material arbitrarily into women with and without iron deficiency. The dividing point chosen was 16%. The women thus defined as iron deficient had lower mean haemoglobin values than women in the total population sample and were more often anaemic. They had also lower MCV, MCH and MCHC indices than women in the total population sample. Of these indices, MCH seemed to discriminate the state of iron deficiency better than MCV and MCHC. Except for an increased mean menstrual blood loss no obvious cause of iron deficiency could be found in these women with low transferrin saturation. |
