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Journal Article Multicenter Study Ppublish 1 citation

PubMed: 39529284 DOI: 10.1002/pbc.31437

Iron Deficiency in Collegiate Athletes Obtaining Preparticipation Hemoglobinopathy Screening in the Upper Midwest.

Pediatr Blood Cancer 72(2):e31437

Authors: Christineil Thompson, Eugenia Trushina, DeLisa Fairweather, Darci Block, Zhen Wang, Nathan Foster, Dana Steien, Paul Galardy, Ahmad Al-Huniti

Affiliations

  • Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.
  • Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.
  • Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.
  • Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Florida, USA.
  • Center for Clinical and Translational Science, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.
  • Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.
  • Kern Center for the Science of Healthcare Delivery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.
  • Department of Health Sciences Research, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.
  • Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.
  • Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE

Iron and other biologically important metals are essential to mitochondrial function but are not routinely evaluated. Their equilibrium is critical to the optimal performance of cells with high metabolic activity such as neurons, cardiomyocytes, and skeletal myocytes. Teenagers are at a high risk of iron deficiency even without anemia. Metal ion imbalances can cause cognitive impairments, muscle weakness, and sudden cardiac death. We aim to assess the current prevalence of iron deficiency among collegiate athletes in the Upper Midwest.

METHODS

Our study is a multicenter, retrospective chart review of outpatient clinics in a regional healthcare system between January 2012 and December 2023, and a national public database between 2017 and March 2020. We reviewed the ferritin concentrations of regional collegiate athletes having preparticipation sport evaluations and nationally in the NHANES database.

RESULTS

We identified 643 unique individuals aged 16-21 years with 253 having ferritin screening. Iron deficiency (ferritin <20 mcg/L) was present in 24.5% and hypoferritinemia (ferritin <50 mcg/L) was present in 66.7% of collegiate athletes. From the NHANES database, 12.7% of active sampled participants aged 16-21 years were iron deficient.

CONCLUSION

Our study findings suggest the need for universal screening for iron deficiency among collegiate athletes given the high prevalence of iron deficiency in both the retrospective chart review and NHANES database analysis. Given the critical role of metal ion homeostasis to optimal mitochondrial function, these findings may warrant the inclusion of ferritin testing in cardiac, neurological, and skeletal muscle evaluations.

MeSH

Muscle Cells, Muscles, Neoplasms, Aged, Ferritins, Prevalence, Athletes, Hemoglobinopathies, Iron Deficiencies