This trial is a proof-of-concept study using a prototype fiber optic fluorometer to acquire autofluorescence spectra from women after delivery and determine the erythrocyte zinc protoporphyrin-IX fluorescence intensity from these spectra. The non-invasively determined fluorescence spectra are evaluated to provide a quantitative measure of the erythrocyte zinc protoporphyrin-IX/heme concentration ratio. These values are primarily compared to an erythrocyte zinc protoporphyrin-IX determined by HPLC from residual blood samples from the same subjects and secondarily to erythrocyte zinc protoporphyrin-IX/heme ratios determined using a commercial hematofluorometer (AVIV, model 206d) and other indicators of iron status, including hemoglobin, ferritin, serum iron, transferrin, transferrin saturation and soluble transferrin receptor~This study could help to establish the non-invasive fluorescence measurement of zinc protoporphyrin-IX as a rapid, easy to use means for point-of-care screening for iron deficiency in resource-limited settings lacking laboratory infrastructure.
This study aims to evaluate a prototype device detecting zinc protoporphyrin-IX fluorescence non-invasively from the intact oral mucosa. Zinc protoporphyrin-IX is an established indicator of iron deficiency. The prototype device is used to measure the erythrocyte zinc protoporphyrin-IX/heme ratio for women after delivery, a study group chosen because of an elevated risk of iron deficiency. The results from the non-invasive measurements are compared to reference measurements of the erythrocyte zinc protoporphyrin-IX/heme ratio from residual blood samples from the same patients and to other indicators of iron status, including hemoglobin, ferritin, serum iron, transferrin, transferrin saturation and soluble transferrin receptor.~Funding Source - Nestec Ltd.