NCT05788172

Measuring Menstrual Iron Loss Using the Iron Isotope Dilution Technique

Quantifying Menstrual Blood Loss: Validating the Methodology for Stable Iron Isotopes Dilution Against the Alkaline Hematin Method

• Status: Completed
• Phase: —
• Study type: Observational
• Enrollment: 10 (actual)
• Sponsor: Isabelle Herter-Aeberli · Academic / Other
• Sex: Female
• Age: 18 Years – 30 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

It is very difficult to quantify menstrual blood loss, the reference method is a tedious one. This is a problem, as it is not conducive to objectively measuring menstrual blood loss and understanding the contribution of menstrual iron loss to iron deficiency anemia. With this study, the investigators aim to investigate iron loss during the menstrual cycle and aim to validate a much simpler technique.

Detailed description

Anemia reduction efforts have largely focused on increasing iron intakes such as improving diet quality, food fortification with iron, iron supplementation, biofortification. There is little information on the contribution of menstrual iron loss to iron deficiency anemia. Indeed, the accurate measurement of menstrual blood loss volume and iron loss is difficult. Self-perception of heavy menstrual blood loss poorly predicts actual blood loss, and the objective measurement of menstrual blood loss remains a tedious method. Various methods have been used to objectively measure menstrual blood loss volume including radioisotopes, but these methods are invasive. The investigators aim to validate a much simpler technique, namely the stable iron isotope dilution methodology. This is a promising new method for quantifying long-term body iron balance, absorption, and loss which has not been applied previously to measure menstrual iron losses. Validating this new method against the alkaline hematin reference method would be an important step to encourage menstrual blood loss measurements and shed light on the contribution of menstrual blood loss to iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia.

Conditions

• Iron-deficiency
• Menorrhagia
• Anemia

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Iron isotope dilution	Menstrual blood loss will be determined using the iron isotope dilution technique and compared to the amount determined via the alkaline hematin method.
OTHER	Alkaline hematin method	Menstrual blood loss will be determined using the alkaline hematin method and compared to the amount determined via the iron isotope dilution technique.

Timeline

• Start date: 2023-03-01
• Primary completion: 2023-06-29
• Completion: 2023-08-30
• First posted: 2023-03-28
• Last updated: 2023-11-22

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Switzerland