Issue 4/2025, Брой 4/2025, Articles

Iron Deficiency in Early Childhood: The Significance of Serum Ferritin as a Diagnostic Marker

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Kr. Yotova1,3, B. Avramova2,4

1Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital “Dr. Georgi Stranski” – Pleven 2Department of Pediatric Clinical Hematology and Oncology, University Hospital “Tsarina Ioanna – ISUL” – Sofia 3Department of Pediatrics, Medical University – Pleven 4Department of Pediatrics, Medical University – Sofia

Abstract

Iron deficiency (ID) is the most common deficiency in early childhood due to rapid growth, increased requirements, and dietary mistakes. If untreated, ID may progress to iron deficiency anemia (IDA), the most frequent hematological disorder in children, associated with cognitive delay, impaired psychomotor development, and weakened immunity.

Complete blood count alone is insufficient for early detection of ID, which requires more sensitive markers. Serum ferritin, strongly correlated with iron stores, is a simple and practical tool for both screening and therapy monitoring. However, as an acute-phase protein, it`s diagnostic reliability decreases during inflammation.

In conclusion, despite certain limitations, serum ferritin remains a valuable and widely applicable marker for the diagnosis and follow-up of ID in childhood and an important component of modern diagnostic strategies.

Key words: children, Iron Deficiency, anemia, ferritin

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Address for correspondence:

Kristina Yotova

8A “Geirgu Kochev”, Str.

5809, Pleven, Bulgaria

kristinayo82@gmail.com