GENERAL NOTES
Includes iron, transferrin and ferritin.
APPLICATION: Suspected iron deficiency, iron overload, acute poisoning. The assessment of iron deficiency or overload may be complicated by the presence of an acute phase response or hepatocellular disease. In general, serum ferritin is the preferred test for the assessment of iron stores, however, levels may be within the reference range (up to 100 ug/L) when iron deficiency coexists with an acute phase response. An alternative approach to the patient with suspected iron deficiency and/or chronic inflammatory disease is to assess the haemoglobin response in iron therapy.
INTERPRETATION:
Fe Trf Sat Ferritin
Fe deficiency Decreased Decreased Decreased
Fe deficiency Decreased Normal or Normal
+ acute phase Decreased (<100 µg/L)
response
Acute phase Decreased Decreased Increased
response
Fe overload Increased Normal or Increased
Decreased
