Comparative study of serum ferritin and its correlation with different blood parameters of students at Amman and Dead Sea levels.

Serum ferritin levels, RBC count, Hb, PCV% and MCV were measured in high school students living at Dead Sea (390 m below sea level) and Amman (766 m above sea level). A total of 96 male and 95 female healthy volunteers of age range 17-19 years, having almost identical economic and nutritional status were studied. It was found that serum ferritin levels of males and the levels of the females at Dead Sea and Amman were identical. However, the ferritin levels of males were much higher than those of females in both places. It was also found that the MCV levels in both the sexes were almost same in Dead Sea and Amman. The RBC counts, Hb concentration, and PVC% were significantly lower (p greater than 0.05) in both sexes at Dead Sea level than at Amman, as found in our previous study.