Iron Deficiency in Female State Fair Attendees

August 2, 2017 updated by: University of Minnesota

Iron Deficiency, Depression, and Other Affective Disorders in Female State Fair Attendees

This study aims to examine iron deficiency symptoms and biochemical iron status based on hemoglobin, hematocrit, ferritin, and total iron binding capacity in menstruating females.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Detailed Description

Iron deficiency affects nearly 2 billion people globally, and it is among the most common risk factors for disability and death. In its most extreme presentation, it results in anemia, where the RBC count of the individual is markedly low, hindering oxygen transport. Anemia has a remarkable global presence, affecting approximately one third of the world's population. Though there are multiple causes for anemia, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that the most common cause for anemia on the planet is iron deficiency. Although findings from the US indicate that iron deficiency is less prevalent than in many other nations, iron deficiency is still a pervasive national public health concern. A study that analyzed the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data from 2007-2010 indicated that US children 5 years of age and younger have an anemia incidence of 3.2 percent.

Incidence of depression varies based on diagnostic tools used and categories included, as well as the country, gender, age, and socioeconomic status of individuals. Globally, it is estimated that between 4 and 10 percent of people experience major depressive disorder (MDD) while between 2.5 and 5 percent experience dysthymia, a depression that involves less severe symptoms but has a chronic manifestation. On average, the first onset of depression is 20 years old, though this figure is highly variable. It has consistently been demonstrated that females experience a much higher incidence of depression than males. MDD has repeatedly been reported in females at rates 1.5 to 3 times that of males, and female dysthymia has been reported at 2 times that of males.

The current state of the literature on the connection between mental health and iron status is further muddled by subjective, self-reported assessments and a lack of randomized controlled trials, but the evidence certainly suggests an association. Affective characteristics studied in relation to iron deficiency include irritability, anger, or mood; depression, both as postpartum depression (PPD) or depression independently; and perceived QOL. Differences in assessment tools as well as length and dosage of iron treatment likely play a pivotal role in discordant results. Most studies also include fatigue as a primary outcome as it is closely tied to these affective characteristics.

The aim of this study is to further investigate iron status and iron deficiency symptoms in menstruating females. It builds on the existing research for use of cutoff values for various biochemical assessments of iron as well as for stages of deficiency in which symptoms are experienced. In addition, the association between iron status, measured either biochemically or by self-reported iron deficiency symptoms, and depression was examined.

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment (Actual)

190

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

    • Minnesota
      • Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States, 55108
        • University of Minnesota - Department of Food Science and Nutrition

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 45 years (Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Genders Eligible for Study

Female

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Because menstruation causes much lower iron stores in adult females, this study targeted adult, menstruating, non-pregnant females. Additionally, inflammation and iron metabolism disorders can result in biochemical iron values that are difficult to interpret, so these conditions were excluded.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • non-pregnant
  • female
  • 18-45 years of age

Exclusion Criteria:

  • pregnancy
  • male
  • outside age range
  • post-menopausal
  • experiencing one of the following inflammatory or iron metabolism disorders: active treatment for cancer, irritable bowel syndrome, colitis, Chron's disease, chronic heart failure, chronic kidney disease, chronic parasitic infection, hemochromatosis, human immunodeficiency virus, polycystic ovarian syndrome, respiratory illness, sickle cell anemia, and thalassemia

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
iron deficiency symptoms
Time Frame: Baseline
Baseline

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Collaborators

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Daniel Gallaher, PhD, University of Minnesota

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

August 1, 2016

Primary Completion (Actual)

September 1, 2016

Study Completion (Actual)

September 1, 2016

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

July 20, 2017

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

July 20, 2017

First Posted (Actual)

July 24, 2017

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

August 3, 2017

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

August 2, 2017

Last Verified

August 1, 2017

More Information

Terms related to this study

Other Study ID Numbers

  • State Fair

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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