Reticulocyte hemoglobin content in critically ill patients.

摘要

We read with interest the article by Fernandez et al. Reticu-locyte hemoglobin content (CHr) is a promising marker of iron metabolism, particularly in the intensive care unit setting where usual markers are often disrupted by inflammation. In a small cohort of critically ill patients with no evidence of real iron deficiency, we observed a correlation between C-reactive protein and CHr, suggesting that inflammation rapidly reduces iron availability for erythropoiesis. We agree that CHr should be used in future research protocols to monitor the response to iron therapy in critically ill patients. However, CHr measurements are not routinely available in most hospitals. In our study, blood samples had to be stored on ice and sent to an external laboratory within 72 h.