The aim of this work is to investigate reticulocyte subpopulations and immature reticulocyte fractions as indicators of bone marrow erythropoietic activity in patients with iron-deficiency anemia and their correlations with traditional hematological and biochemical markers of iron deficiency. A total of 96 individuals, aged 20 to 86 years old, were included in this study. These individuals were divided into two groups: healthy controls (n=30) and iron-deficiency anemia (n=66). Complete blood counts including reticulocytes and their subpopulations, iron, ferritin and transferrin and total binding capacity were determined in all individuals. Patients with iron-deficiency anemia had an increased proportion of immature reticulocyte fractions when compared with controls (15.02 ± 9.70% vs. 6.43 ± 3.98%, p<0.01, respectively). Comparing patients with healthy controls, the investigation of the subpopulations revealed higher medium-fluorescent reticulocyte (12.69 ± 6.69% vs. 5.88 ± 3.59%, respectively p<0.01) and high-fluorescent reticulocyte (1.45 [0.38-3.10] vs. 0.40 [0.00-0.90], p<0.05) regions and a smaller low-fluorescent reticulocyte region (84.83 ± 9.65% vs. 93.57 ±3.98%, p<0.01). Positive or negative correlations were found between reticulocyte subpopulations and red cell distribution width. No correlation was found with the other iron deficiency markers. In conclusion, iron deficiency anemia is associated with an increased proportion of immature reticulocyte fractions, reflecting an increase in erythropoietic activity in these patientss.
Reticulocyte subpopulations; iron deficiency; erythropoietic activity; immature reticulocyte fraction
