[Serum ferritin in premature infants].

This study was carried out in twenty-two newborn of birthweight lower than 2 000 g at four and six weeks to determine normal values of serum ferritin in preterm infants and pathological factors who influenced this evolution. Serum ferritin was measured by a kit using a sandwich radioimmunometric method. Elevated values are found in the series of fifteen preterm infants without pathology, with a decreasing evolution. There is no difference in median values at four (266 +/- 91 ng/ml) and six (279 +/- 162) weeks. There is no correlation between serum ferritin values and gestational age nor with hemoglobin values. Serum ferritin values are elevated by inflammatory pathology, blood transfusions and in this case no represent stain pool.