Iron absorption and loss in psoriasis

59Fe absorption has been studied in psoriatics to elucidate the iron deficiency state. To determine the rate of iron loss, elimination of injected 59Fe was measured. In psoriasis mean iron absorption did not differ from the mean in the normal group, but a pathologically low absorption was found in 8 cases. Iron loss was significantly higher in psoriatics than in normal men, while it did not differ significantly from iron loss in women with regular menses.