. 2021 May 17;13(5):1695. doi: 10.3390/nu13051695

Table 2.

Parameters for IDA diagnosis.

(a) Red cell parameters values for diagnosis of IDA

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Reduction of Hb, RBCs and hematocrit < 2 SD of normal values according to age and gender. For WHO in adult, anemia is defined as hemoglobin < 13 g/dL in men and < 12 g/dL in non-pregnant women. In children, reference values are lower and differ according to age.
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Reduction of MCV, MCH and MCHC
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Hypochromic cells with a tendency to microcytosis
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Increase of RDW > 15%
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Reduction of CHr < 27.5 pg

(b) Biochemical parameters values for diagnosis of IDA

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Reduction of serum iron < 30mg/dL; increase of total serum transferrin or of TIBC> 350 mg/dL; reduction of IS < 16%;
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Reduction of serum ferritin < 10–20 ng/mL if PRC is normal. A ferritin threshold value of <45 ng/mL has a sensitivity for iron deficiency of 85% with a specificity of 92%. In contrast, a ferritin value of < 15 ng/mL has a sensitivity of only 59% and specificity of 99%. A ferritin threshold value of < 45 ng/mL is believed to maximize sensitivity for the diagnosis of IDA with an acceptable number of false-positive diagnoses.