Clinical Significance
It is useful for
Aiding in the diagnosis of iron deficiency and iron overload conditions
Differentiating iron deficiency anemia and anemia of chronic disease
Specimen
Serum
Stability
Refrigerated (preferred) : 7 days
Frozen : 90 days
Reference Range
274 – 385 µg/dL
Interpretation
| Disease | Iron | TIBC/Transferrin | UIBC | %Transferrin Saturation | Ferritin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iron Deficiency | Low | High | High | Low | Low |
| Hemochromatosis/Hemosiderosis | High | Low | Low | High | High |
| Chronic Illness | Low | Low/Normal | Low/Normal | Low/Normal | High/Normal |
| Hemolytic Anemia | High | Normal/Low | Low/Normal | High | High |
| Sideroblastic Anemia | Normal/High | Normal/Low | Low/Normal | High | High |
| Iron Poisoning | High | Normal | Low | High | Normal |
Limitation
Ferritin is an acute phase reactant and may be elevated in patients with inflammation, liver disease, chronic infection, autoimmune disorders, and malignancy. Ferritin may be elevated in excess iron storage disorders besides hemochromatosis including hemolytic anemia, sideroblastic anemia, and in those with multiple blood transfusions.