Bone marrow iron in nutritional anaemias.

Bone marrow smears of 168 patients with nutritional anaemias attending the Dr. J.C. Patel, Department of Hematology, K.E.M. Hospital were stained by Prussian blue method for iron (haemosiderin). Iron in the bone marrow was classified as absent, decreased, normal or increased. Amongst 93 cases with transferrin saturation (TS) of less than 16% and normoblastic erythropoiesis, bone marrow iron was absent in 48 (51.6%) and decreased in 45 (48.4%). In 50 cases with TS of less than 16% and marrow showing megaloblasts and/or giant myelocytes and metamyelocytes, bone marrow iron was absent in 15 (30%), decreased in 22 (44%), normal in 7 (14%) and increased in 6 (12%). In 25 cases with TS over 16% and megaloblastic erythropoiesis, bone marrow iron was absent in 4 (16%), decreased in 1 (4%), normal in 7 (28%) and increased in 13 (52%). In 150 (89.3%) patients out of 168, bone marrow iron and TS gave concordant results whereas in 18 (10.7%), the results were discordant; former was encountered in cases of uncomplicated iron deficiency while latter was found with megaloblastic morphology of the marrow. It is concluded that there is a good correlation between TS and bone marrow iron and hence, either of the criteria can be used for the diagnosis of iron deficiency especially when it is not complicated by megaloblastosis.