Prevalence of Iron Deficiency Among a Modern Cohort of Youth With Sickle Cell Disease

Sickle cell disease (SCD) and iron deficiency (ID) cause anemia and cognitive deficits. The frequency of ID among youth with SCD (Y‐SCD) remains unclear because screening has not been standard. Using clinically obtained ferritin results, we identified that ≥9% of Y‐SCD at our center may have ID. Those with ID were often >5 years old, premenarche, and male and had a mean corpuscular volume that was, on average, 7.3 fL lower than iron‐replete Y‐SCD ( p < 0.001). These findings suggest ID screening is indicated among Y‐SCD. Studies are needed to determine mechanisms and whether normalizing iron stores improves outcomes.