Effectiveness of zinc protoporphyrin/heme ratio and ferritin for assessing iron status in preterm infants.

BACKGROUND: Since iron is crucial for many tissue processes, we, therefore, aimed to assess ferritin and the zinc protoporphyrin to heme ratio (ZnPP/H) as indicators of iron status in preterm newborns, particularly during certain inflammatory episodes.

METHODS: From 170 preterm babies, paired ferritin and ZnPP/H measurements were collected twice (on the first postnatal day and six weeks later). To compare these measures and assess the impact of anemia, sepsis, and packed red blood cell transfusion (PRBT), three different scenarios were considered.

RESULTS: Compared to the non-anemic group, the anemic patients' serum ferritin level was considerably lower (p = 0.044), whereas the anemic patients' ZPP/H ratio was significantly greater (p < 0.001). In neonates with sepsis, ferritin levels were considerably greater in both anemic and non-anemic septic neonates compared to neonates without sepsis (p < 0.001 for each). Regarding ZPP/H ratio, no appreciable variations were found between the two groups. In addition, serum ferritin significantly increased following each PRBT (p < 0.001 for each). As a result of each PRBT, the ZPP/H ratio considerably decreased (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION: As a measure of iron status during particular inflammatory processes like infection and PRBT, ZnPP/H may be more accurate.