Problems of Radiation Medicine and Radiobiology

Effect of RBC concentrate transfusions on serum ferritin content in children with acute leukaemia

V. G. Bebeshko, E. M. Bruslova, N. M. Tsvietkova, S. M. Iatsemirskii, T. I. Puchkareva, L. A. Gonchar, V. V. Krukovska, A. V. Zelinska, L. P. Mishchenko
State Institution “National Research Center for Radiation Medicine of the National Academy of MedicalSciences of Ukraine”, Melnykov str., 53, Kyiv, 04050, Ukraine

Objective. To study the serum ferritin levels in children with acute leukemia, depending on the number of transfusions of RBC concentrate and period of disease.
Materials and methods. We studied the red blood count, serum iron and ferritin levels in 54 patients with acute leukemia before chemotherapy, at the time of a standardized treatment protocol, and after transfusions of RBC concentrates.
Results. In the debute of acute leukemia just before treatment lauch the serum ferritin in 81.5 % of children was 2.3–2.5 higher than normal. The need for transfusion of RBC concentrates was higher under serum ferritin level exceeding 500 ng/mL. The association was established between ferritin content and age of the children, variant of acute leukemia and period of the disease.
Conclusions. The level of serum ferritin can be used as a marker of ferrokinetic status for timely diagnosis of iron overload in children with acute leukemias and for application of treatment-and-prophylactic actions.

Key words: children, acute leukemia, ferritin, erythrocytes concentrate.

Problems of radiation medicine and radiobiology. 2013;18:173–179.