Iron status of South African women working in a fruit-packing factory.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the iron status, and the risk factors for iron deficiency (ID) and iron-deficiency anaemia (IDA), of non-pregnant adult women working in a fruit-packing factory. DESIGN: A cross-sectional analytical study was done on 338 women, 18 to 55 years of age. Information on demographic data, risk factors for ID, smoking, and the consumption of red meat, chicken and fish was collected by questionnaire. Height and weight were measured and the body mass index (BMI) calculated. A non-fasting venous blood sample was analysed for haemoglobin (Hb), serum ferritin (SF), serum iron, serum transferrin and C-reactive protein; transferrin saturation (TFS) was calculated. SETTING: Fruit-packing factory in the Western Cape, South Africa. RESULTS: The mean value for Hb was 13.06 (standard deviation (SD) 1.16) g dl-1 and for SF 48.0 (SD 47.8) microg l-1 (geometric mean 26.44 microg l-1). Women were categorised on the basis of iron status: 60% had a normal iron status (NIS); 12.6% had low TFS (<16%) but normal Hb (>or=12 g dl-1) and SF (>or=12 microg l-1) concentrations (LTS); and 27.4% had low iron status (LIS), defined as combinations of low SF (<12 microg l-1 or <20 microg l-1), low TFS (<16%) and low Hb (<12 g dl-1). More than 30% of the women were obese The risk ratio for LIS (LIS vs. NIS) was 3.8 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.9-7.6) if women were still menstruating or 3.2 (95% CI 1.6-6.2) if they were pregnant during the past 12 months. Women with LIS consumed significantly smaller portions of red meat, chicken and fish than did women in the other two groups. CONCLUSIONS: IDA (low Hb, SF and TFS) and ID (low SF and TFS) did not seem to be a major problem. Women who were still menstruating or were pregnant during the past 12 months were at greater risk for ID. The consumption of smaller portions of red meat, chicken and fish was related to LIS. A high prevalence of obesity, which demonstrated the coexistence of both under- and overnutrition, was observed.

Ferritin assay performed on the Technicon Immuno 1 analyser using serum and plasma samples.

Ferritin assays were performed using both serum and plasma samples on the Bayer Technicon Immuno 1 Analyser and their ferritin test kit as only data for serum samples are available. After evaluation of the test kit and analyser the results were correlated using the Statistica for Windows programme. It was established that the plasma samples gave consistently lower values than the serum samples. Using the obtained conversion factor of 1.191, plasma as well as serum samples may be used for ferritin determinations.

Analysis of the NRAMP1 gene implicated in iron transport: association with multiple sclerosis and age effects.

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is believed to be an autoimmune process occurring in genetically susceptible individuals after an appropriate environmental exposure. We have exploited the homogeneous Afrikaner population of European ancestry to investigate the likelihood that iron dysregulation, in association with infectious and/or autoimmune disease susceptibility, may underlie the MS phenotype in a subgroup of patients. The functional Z-DNA forming repeat polymorphism of the natural resistance-associated macrophage protein-1 (NRAMP1) gene was analyzed in 104 patients diagnosed with MS and 522 Caucasian controls. A family-based control group consisting of 32 parental alleles not transmitted to MS offspring was additionally studied to exclude the likelihood of population substructures. Statistically significant differences in allelic distribution were observed between the patient and control samples drawn from the same population (P < 0.01). Evidence is furthermore provided that alleles considered to be detrimental in relation to autoimmune disease susceptibility may be maintained in the population as a consequence of improved survival to reproductive age following infectious disease challenge. Although it remains to be determined whether the disease phenotype in MS patients with allele 5 of the NRAMP1 promoter polymorphism is directly related to dysregulation of iron or modified susceptibility to viral infection and/or autoimmunity, a combination of these processes most likely underlies the disease phenotype in these patients. In view of the emerging role of polymorphic variants in complex diseases and minimizing of possible confounding factors in this association study, we conclude that allelic variation in the NRAMP1 promoter may contribute significantly to MS susceptibility in the South African Caucasian population.

Prognostic value of day 14 blast percentage and the absolute blast index in bone marrow of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

The product of the percentage blasts on the bone marrow aspirate (BMA) and the biopsy cellularity has been termed the "absolute blast index aspirate" (ABI-aspirate) and is used to measure disease response on day 7 of induction therapy. The authors compared the event-free survival (EFS) in high-risk and standard-risk patients as identified by the ABI-aspirate and the BMA percentage blasts on day 14 of induction therapy. Both indices identified high-risk cases. EFS of patients categorized as high-risk by these 2 methods and the high-risk criteria used by the authors' service (WCC of > 20 x 10(9)/L, age < 2 and > 8 years and a peripheral blood blast count of > 1.0 x 10(9)/L on day 8 of induction) did not differ. There was concordance between patients identified as high risk by all 3 methods. The results confirmed the prognostic value of the ABI-aspirate and the BMA percentage blasts on day 14 of induction therapy, but these methods were not superior to the high-risk criteria currently in use.

Factor V Leiden mutation and the risk of thrombo-embolic disease in pregnancy: a case report.

Factor V Leiden mutation is a risk factor for the development of thrombo-embolic episodes in pregnancy. A case is presented of a pregnant woman with repeated episodes of venous thrombosis with a complicated clinical course.

2'-Chlorodeoxyadenosine Effectively Induces Complete Remission in Hairy Cell Leukaemia.

Hairy cell leukaemia, previously known as leukaemic reticuloendotheliosis, is an indolent lymphoproliferative disorder of unknown etiology. It typically affects males, causes marked splenomegaly and moderate enlargement of the liver, whilst lymphadenopathy is inconspicuous. Pancytopenia is characteristic with unusually profound monocytopenia, variable reduction in platelets, and the presence in the peripheral blood and marrow of abnormal small lymphocytes having irregular cytoplasmic margins. Ultrastructure, combined with cytochemistry and flow cytometry, have refined diagnosis. A variant exists between this classical entity and B prolymphocytic leukaemia, where blastic transformation or massive lymph node enlargement are found, and this is of ominous significance. In all these patients with this entity conventional chemotherapy is ineffective and shortens survival. Our previous experience with splenectomy results in excellent clinical control for long periods of time, but without disease eradication. There followed a vogue for the use of interferon but this is limited by high cost and dose-dependent side-effects. Contemporary management centres on the purine analogues, where durable responses are possible with fludarabine and deoxycoformycin, but best with 2'chlorodeoxyadenosine (2-CDA). To document the efficacy of the latter agent, we analysed the outcome in seventeen consecutive patients treated over the last five years. Four were ineligible for analysis, although two had 2-CDA. The other thirteen, managed on a standard seven-day course of 0.1 mg/kg 2-CDA given as a continuous intravenous infusion, all responded promptly. Apart from transient leucopenia complications have been minimal, and oral co-trimoxazole prophylaxis for pneumocystis carinii was maintained during the first one year. In all thirteen there was a rapid return to normal of peripheral blood count and marrow on aspiration and trephine biopsy. Even in the longest follow-up clinical and haematologic remission has been maintained and no patients have required retreatment. One individual has relapsed in the marrow at two years. Despite the relative expense of the agent the excellent treatment outcome and patient acceptability, coupled with its safety, leads to the recommendation that in South Africa-as elsewhere in the world-this be regarded as the first line of treatment.

Analysis of the F8 gene in individuals with high plasma factor VIII: C levels and associated venous thrombosis.

High FVIII:C levels have previously been shown to be an independent risk factor for thrombosis with 4.8 times higher potential risk of thrombosis in individuals with FVIII:C levels greater than 1.5 u/ml. Recently, we found that raised FVIII:C levels are largely attributable to elevated FVIII:Ag levels. The determinants of FVIII:Ag levels are unclear and might be partly genetic. The promoter of the F8 gene has recently been characterised we therefore investigated the promoter and the 3' terminus of the F8 gene for possible polymorphisms associated with raised FVIII:Ag levels in 62 selected individuals with a thrombotic tendency. We confirm previous reports that raised FVIII:C levels are largely attributable to an elevation in FVIII:Ag and this is also associated with elevation of vWF; non-O blood group: relatively short APTT and relatively low APC ratio. We screened 1140 bp of the proximal promoter including the protein binding sites identified by DNase I footprint analysis by SSCP, however no polymorphisms were identified. Direct DNA sequence analysis of the region -542 to +165 failed to identify any sequence polymorphisms. The recently described polymorphism in the polyadenylation cleavage site in the prothrombin gene associated with increased prothrombin activity prompted us to screen the region surrounding the 3' terminus of the F8 gene for polymorphisms but we found none.

Response to an iron fortification programme in relation to vitamin A status in 6-12-year-old school children.

Plasma retinol and indices of iron status were measured in 148 school children (6-12 years) receiving a soup fortified with iron and vitamin C for a period of 15 weeks. The most significant change in serum iron (P = 0.0005) and transferrin saturation (P = 0.0002) was seen in subjects with plasma retinol > or = 40 micrograms/dl, while subjects with plasma retinol < 20 micrograms/dl showed no response. Serum ferritin improved most in the retinol categories < 40 micrograms/dl, suggesting that the absorption of iron was not impaired by marginal vitamin A status, but that it was rather the mobilisation of iron from stores that was affected. Changes in vitamin A status correlated positively and significantly with changes in serum iron (r = 0.37; P = 0.0001) transferrin saturation (r = 0.27; P = 0.004) and haemoglobin (r = 0.21; P = 0.03), but negatively with serum ferritin (r = -0.28; P = 0.003). The presence of marginal vitamin A deficiency in a community may limit the effectiveness of an iron intervention programme and vitamin A status should therefore also be considered when such programmes are planned.

The effect of iron fortification on the fatty acid composition of plasma and erythrocyte membranes in primary school children with and without iron deficiency.

An intervention study was designed to evaluate the fatty acid (FA) status of children aged 6-11 years before and after iron fortification. Iron-deficient (ID) and matched controls without ID (n = 30) were selected. All children received soup (160 ml) fortified with 20 mg iron and 100 mg vitamin C for 15 weeks on school days. Measurements before and after intervention included dietary intake, haematological and iron status and FA composition of plasma and erythrocyte membranes (EMBs). The prevalence of low plasma ferritin concentration and transferrin saturation decreased in the ID children by 40% and 56%, respectively, with intervention. Plasma FAs reflected dietary FA intake. In comparison with controls, the ID group presented with increased percentage total saturated FAs (SFAs; p = 0.0002) in their EMB phosphatidylcholine (PC) and reduced percentage total polyunsaturated FAs (PUFAs; p = 0.0037) before intervention. Lower total n-3 FAs (p = 0.0070), including eicosapentenoic acid (EPA; p = 0.0034), docosapentenoic acid (DPA; p = 0.0048) and docosahexenoic acid (DHA; p = 0.0058), were observed in the ID group. The EMB phosphatidylethanol-amine (PEA) of the ID children presented with lower percentages of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA; p = 0.0001), EPA (p = 0.0051) and DHA (p = 0.0084) compared to controls before intervention. Iron intervention was associated with an increase (p < 0.05) in the percentage of n-3 FAs in the EMB-PC and EMB-PEA of the ID group to percentages comparable to that in the control group. It appears that iron status can influence FA metabolism of specific n-3 FAs in the EMBs of young children.

The effect of iron fortification on the fatty acid composition of plasma and erythrocyte membranes in primary school children with and without iron-deficiency.

An intervention study was designed to evaluate the fatty acid (FA) status of children aged 6-11 years before and after iron fortification. Iron deficient (ID) and matched controls without ID (n = 30) were selected. All children received soup (160 mL) fortified with 20 mg iron and 100 mg vitamin C for 15 weeks on school days. Measurements before and after intervention included dietary intake, haematological and iron status and FA composition of plasma and erythrocyte membranes (EMBs). The prevalence of low plasma ferritin concentration and transferrin saturation decreased in the ID children by 40% and 56%, respectively, with intervention. Plasma FAs reflected dietary FA intake. In comparison with controls, the ID group presented with increased percentage total saturated FAs (SFAs; p = 0.0002) in their EMB phosphatidylcholine (PC) and reduced percentage total polyunsaturated FAs (PUFAs; p = 0.0037) before intervention. Lower total n-3 FAs (p = 0.0070) including eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA; p = 0.0034), docosapentaenoic acid (DPA; p = 0.0048) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; p = 0.0058) were observed in the ID group. The EMB phosphatidylethanolamine (PEA) of the ID children presented with lower percentages of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA; p = 0.0001), EPA (p = 0.0051) and DHA (p = 0.0084) compared to controls before intervention. Iron intervention was associated with an increase (p < 0,05) in the percentage of n-3 FAs in the EMB-PC and -PEA of the ID group to percentages comparable to that in the control group. It appears that iron status can influence FA metabolism of specific n-3 FAs in the EMBs of young children.

Haematological changes associated with miliary tuberculosis of the bone marrow.

The peripheral blood and bone marrow findings in 25 patients found to have tuberculous granulomata on bone marrow examination were examined to determine whether specific haematological findings are associated with tuberculous infiltration of the bone marrow. All the patients had one abnormality or more on their full blood count. The presence of a peripheral lymphopaenia was the single factor common to all 25 patients studied. The peripheral lymphopaenia was only associated with bone marrow lymphopaenia in 14% of patients. Other findings of note were an association of peripheral monocytopaenia and absence of giant cells in the granulomata, and decreased iron stores in almost a third of the total number of patients. The relevance of the lymphopaenia, monocytopaenia and decreased iron stores are discussed and we propose that the absence of a peripheral lymphopaenia makes it very unlikely that there will be tuberculous localization in the bone marrow.

CD4+, CD33-, CD13-, CD14- acute monoblastic leukaemia.

We report a case of acute monoblastic leukaemia in which the expression of the CD4 antigen occurred in the absence of myeloid and monocytic lineage specific markers. Unexpected marker profiles have biological and diagnostic implications and we also suggest that the inappropriate expression of the CD4 antigen may be implicated in the poor prognosis of this case.