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Quick #tweetorial on iron studies.
Serum iron refers to ferric (3+) ions bound to serum transferrin.
It’s highly variable, affected by diet, inflammation, & infection.
Common referral: kid on iron supp, takes just prior to labs, iron
, referred for overload
1/n
Serum iron refers to ferric (3+) ions bound to serum transferrin.
It’s highly variable, affected by diet, inflammation, & infection.
Common referral: kid on iron supp, takes just prior to labs, iron
, referred for overload 1/n
Transferrin is primary transport protein & in deficiency to maximize utilization.
TIBC is analogous & reflects availability of binding sites on transferrin.
Transferrin saturation = serum iron/TIBC. It is poorly specific as pregnancy, OCP & chronic illness can
.
2/n
in deficiency to maximize utilization. TIBC is analogous & reflects availability of binding sites on transferrin.
Transferrin saturation = serum iron/TIBC. It is poorly specific as pregnancy, OCP & chronic illness can
. 2/n
It also uses serum iron 
.
Ferritin is the intercellular storage form. A very small amount is in serum & w/liver disease, inflammation, & malignancy bc it is an acute phase reactant.
While low ferritin is highly specific for deficiency a normal ferritin doesn’t r/o.
3/n
. Ferritin is the intercellular storage form. A very small amount is in serum &
w/liver disease, inflammation, & malignancy bc it is an acute phase reactant. While low ferritin is highly specific for deficiency a normal ferritin doesn’t r/o.
3/n
Soluble transferrin receptor can differentiate between iron deficiency (where it is ) and anemia of inflammation (normal).
It is reflective of erythropoietic activity so is also with ineffective erythropoiesis.
This doesn’t cover everything but hopeful is helpful
4/fin
) and anemia of inflammation (normal). It is reflective of erythropoietic activity so is also
with ineffective erythropoiesis. This doesn’t cover everything but hopeful is helpful
4/fin
