Background Severe iron deficiency is associated with anaemia, but iron deficiency with normal haemoglobin (Hb) may also affect morbidity and quality of life and contribute to psychiatric illness onset and severity. Psychiatric presentations in adolescence are often indicative of serious long-term morbidity, and addressing contributing health risk factors, such as iron deficiency, is important. Objectives To determine rates of iron deficiency in a South African inpatient adolescent psychiatric population and possible associations between psychiatric diagnosis and iron deficiency risk factors. Methods We conducted a retrospective chart review of all adolescent patients (13–18 years old) who were admitted to the Adolescent Psychiatric Inpatient Unit at Tygerburg Hospital (Cape Town, South Africa) during 2016. Patient records were limited to those with haemoglobin and ferritin levels available, as well as a psychiatric disorder diagnosed according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. The final sample consisted of 93 patients. Results Of all participants, 7.6% were anaemic, while 22.6% were iron deficient. We found 29% of our population to have anaemia in the absence of iron deficiency. Gender was the only statistically significant correlate, with adolescent females at particular risk of compromised iron status as indicated by a low ferritin level (45% of female sample). Conclusion Iron deficiency rates remain a relevant health concern, and testing Hb alone is inadequate to assess iron status in this population. Ferritin is a necessary additional parameter and should be included in the usual medical workup.

中文翻译：

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南非青少年住院精神病患者缺铁的患病率：比率、危险因素和建议。

背景 严重缺铁与贫血有关，但血红蛋白 (Hb) 正常时缺铁也可能影响发病率和生活质量，并导致精神疾病的发作和严重程度。青春期的精神病表现通常预示着严重的长期发病，解决缺铁等健康风险因素非常重要。目的 确定南非住院青少年精神病人群的缺铁率以及精神病诊断与缺铁危险因素之间的可能关联。方法 我们对 2016 年入住 Tygerburg 医院（南非开普敦）青少年精神病住院部的所有青少年患者（13-18 岁）进行了回顾性图表审查。患者记录仅限于血红蛋白和铁蛋白的患者可用水平，以及根据《精神疾病诊断和统计手册》诊断的精神疾病。最终样本包括 93 名患者。结果 在所有参与者中，7.6% 患有贫血，22.6% 患有缺铁。我们发现 29% 的人口在不缺铁的情况下患有贫血。性别是唯一具有统计显着相关性的因素，铁蛋白水平较低（占女性样本的 45%）表明，青春期女性铁状况受损的风险特别高。结论 缺铁率仍然是一个相关的健康问题，仅检测 Hb 不足以评估该人群的铁状况。铁蛋白是一个必要的附加参数，应包含在常规医疗检查中。