OBJECTIVES: to identify the prevalence of iron deficiency anemia and to calculate the sensitivity and specificity of laboratory tests, specifically hemoglobin and hematocrit, to predict an iron deficiency, considering serum ferritin as the standard test. METHODS: the study involved 365 schoolchildren from Campinas, Sao Paulo,Brazil aged from 7 to 14 years old. The children were considered to have anemia when they presented hemoglobin concentration under 11,5 g/dl for children aged 5 £ 8 years old, 11,9g/dl or children aged 8 £ 12 years old, 12,5g/dl for males and 11,8g/dl for females aged 12 £ 15 years old. For hematocrit the children were considered to have anemia when the values were under 34,5%, 35,4%, 37,3% and 35,7%, for the same strata. For serum ferritin, under 15mg/dl. RESULTS: the results showed anemia in 12,4% of the studied population according to hemoglobin concentration, 7,5% according to hematocrit level and 19,3% according to serum ferritin. The prevalence of iron deficiency anemia was 19,3% according to the ferritin standard. The sensitivity and specificity of hemoglobin concentration to predict anemia was 12,9% and 87,7%, respectively and the sensitivity and specificity of hematocrit were 8,6% and 92,8% . CONCLUSIONS: these data indicate the failure of hemoglobin and hematocrit tests to prognose iron deficiency anemia. It is necessary to review the diagnosis procedure in order to improve health assistance, especially in the primary health services of Brazil.
Anemia iron deficciency; Ferritin; School health; Public health; Epidemiology
