[A neonate with anaemia of prematurity: zinc protoporphyrin identifies iron deficiency anaemia without iron deficiency].

Abstract

Anaemia is a common problem in premature infants and is generally easy to treat with iron supplementation. If the anaemia persists despite appropriate correction of deficiencies, more extensive evaluation is required. We describe a case of a premature male infant with a production-deficient anaemia without metabolic deficiencies, eventually identified as anaemia of prematurity. This type of anaemia is commonly diagnosed but its highly variable and complex aetiology and phenotype are often poorly understood. A probable explanation for the anaemia of prematurity in this case was a transient iron incorporation defect, identifiable by high levels of zinc protoporphyrin.

• Authors: Diederik E van der Feen, Jacqueline L A M van Hillegersberg, Johannes A Schippers
• Journal: Nederlands tijdschrift voor geneeskunde (Ned Tijdschr Geneeskd) Vol. 159 Pg. A8393 ( 2015) ISSN: 1876-8784 [Electronic] Netherlands
• Vernacular Title: Een prematuur met anemie: zinkprotoporfyrine identificeert ijzergebreksanemie zonder ijzergebrek.
• PMID: 25740188 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article, Review)

Chemical References

• Protoporphyrins
• zinc protoporphyrin
• Ferritins

Topics

• Anemia (blood, diagnosis)
• Anemia, Iron-Deficiency (blood, diagnosis)
• Diagnosis, Differential
• Ferritins (blood)
• Humans
• Infant, Newborn
• Infant, Premature
• Male
• Protoporphyrins (blood)