An algorithm using reticulocyte hemoglobin content (CHr) measurement in screening adolescents for iron deficiency

Biomarkers of Hypochromia: The Contemporary Assessment of Iron Status and Erythropoiesis

“…CHr could be a sensitive marker to detect early the negative balance between body iron content and the demand for erythropoiesis, before the mature cell indices or even Hb move below the reference intervals, improving the diagnostic algorithms [35–38]. …”

Age, beta thalassaemia trait, and iron-deficient anaemia significantly affect reticulocyte indices in pre-school children

“…Among the available reticulocyte indices, reticulocyte haemoglobin content (CHr) is the most promising and several attempts have been made to assess its performance in this context. Although different definitions of iron deficiency and iron deficiency anaemia have been applied, several studies have focused on assessing diagnostic accuracy of CHr in diagnosing these two clinical conditions [8,9,17]. However, exploring the diagnostic capabilities of CHr and other reticulocyte indices in these clinical situations is a far more complex issue in countries with high prevalence of hereditary microcytic anaemias such as the haemoglobinopathies, due to the effect of the latter on the indices of erythropoiesis [6].…”

Early signs of maternal iron deficiency do not influence the iron status of the newborn, but are associated with higher infant birthweight

“…These indices have been used in monitoring erythropoietin (EPO) therapy in patients undergoing dialysis treatment and in patients with myeloma or lymphoma 30–32. Reticulocyte indices have also been shown to be adequate screening tools for iron deficiency in infants, children, adolescents, blood donors, and pregnant women at term (22), 33–36, but the clinical use of these indices is still rare.…”