[Evaluation of a clinical sign in predicting iron deficiency in women: the blue sclera].

The purpose of this study was to calculate the predictive value (PV) of blue sclera (BS) in iron deficiency in women. The presence of this clinical sign was evaluated in 498 female patients at an urban primary care centre. Three observers independently evaluated the existence of BS on a scale of 0 to 3 in all female patients visited over a period of 35 weeks. Twenty eight cases of BS were detected over this period, of which 16 had ferropenia and 21 had anemia or iron deficiency. The positive predictive value of the clinical sign was 57.14%, 95% within the confidence interval of 52.77-61.51. The presence of BS was not affected by age or eye color. BS appears to be a good indicator of iron deficiency in our medium and, if confirmed by other studies, should be considered in the every-day clinical examination.