[Assessment of iron status]

Biological tests useful for the assessment of iron status depend on the metabolic compartment to be explored. The transport compartment is explored by the measurement of serum iron, transferrin and its saturation; these tests still play a major role in the screening of iron overload. Assessment of stores is performed by the assay of serum ferritin either for diagnosing depletion or assessing overload. Falsely normal or increased results (inflammation, infection, cancer) can hide a true deficiency. Erythrocyte ferritin and glycosylated ferritin can be useful tools for the interpretation of hyperferritinemia. Soluble transferrin receptor is a specific marker of functional deficiency, not influenced by confounding pathologies.