Abstract
Serum ferritin was used to compare the body iron status of 12 women and 40 men, 1.5–24 years after gastric surgery to 52 controls matched for age and sex. Subjects with liver disease and chronic inflammatory disorders were excluded. Serum ferritin of the female patients, 37 ng/ml, was similar to the control value of 34 ng/ml, and there were two subjects in each group with depleted iron stores defined by a serum ferritin less than 15 ng/ml. In contrast the mean ferritin value in the male patients, 36 ng/ml, was significantly less than the male controls, 91 ng/ml (P<0.05), and iron reserves were depleted in 8 patients compared to one control. Iron deficiency anemia was found in 2 female and 2 male patients but in none of the controls. Low iron stores were detected in 5/10 patients with gastric resection associated with gastrojejunostomy, 5/30 patients with gastric resection and gastroduodenostomy, and 0/12 with pyloroplasty. The difference between gastrojejunostomy and pyloroplasty was statistically significant (P<0.025). The results indicate iron deficiency was more prevalent in men with gastric operations than in matched controls, and it occurred with highest frequency in patients with gastric resection associated with a bypass of the duodenum. Once serum ferritin becomes generally available, it may play an important role in the appraisal and monitoring of body iron in patients after gastric operations.
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Lloyd, D.A., Valberg, L.S. Serum ferritin and body iron status after gastric operations. Digest Dis Sci 22, 598–604 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01073077
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01073077