Open AccessComparative Test of Ret-He Examination in Diagnosis of Iron Deficiency in Pregnant Women
Author(s) -
Gilang Nugraha,
Nur Masruroh,
Diyan Wahyu Kurniasari
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
medical laboratory technology journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2461-0879
DOI - 10.31964/mltj.v6i2.303
Subject(s) - iron deficiency , transferrin saturation , medicine , anemia , serum iron , hemoglobin , ferritin , iron deficiency anemia , gastroenterology , physical examination , transferrin , predictive value , total iron binding capacity , physiology , endocrinology
The most common cause of anemia is iron deficiency, which found in 50% of anemia cases. There are 66.7% of pregnant women in Indonesia that still lack iron intake. Reticulocyte hemoglobin equivalent (Ret-He) examination as a single parameter is the initial indicator of iron deficiency, considered more sensitive in detecting iron reserves in the body. This study aims to determine the effectivity of the Ret-He examination as a single parameter in establishing the diagnosis of iron deficiency in pregnant women. This research was conducted on 30 pregnant women. The sensitivity, specificity, and predictive value of Ret-He were determined by comparing the results of the biochemical examination of iron profiles. Iron deficiency defined as an abnormal examination result on two or more biochemical parameters, which were SI 425 µg/dL, serum ferritin <10 ng/mL and Transferrin Saturation <15.0%. Between 30 pregnant women, there were 18 (60%) with iron deficiency and 12 (40%) without iron deficiency. Ret-He levels were significantly lower in pregnant women with iron deficiency (P=0.008). A decrease in the Ret-He level in iron deficiency positively correlated with serum Ferritin (r=0.433). The effectivity of the Ret-He examination had an AUC value of 0.785 (P=0.009). Ret-He diagnostic reliability had at a cut-off value of 27.2 pg with sensitivity (87.5%), specificity (50.0%), positive predictive value (38.9%), and negative predictive value (91.7%). Ret-He examination is a useful marker of iron deficiency in pregnant women so that it can be applied for screening or as a routine examination.