Low frequency of elevated serum transferrin saturation in elderly subjects

Area of Science:

• Clinical Biochemistry
• Gerontology
• Hematology

Background:

• Serum transferrin saturation (TS) is a key indicator of iron status.
• Assessing TS in diverse populations is crucial for understanding iron metabolism and health implications.
• Previous studies have established reference ranges for TS in younger and adult populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate serum transferrin saturation (TS) values in different age and health groups.
• To investigate potential differences in TS levels in the elderly population.
• To assess the utility of TS screening for detecting iron overload, particularly in older adults.

Main Methods:

• Calculation of serum transferrin saturation (TS) using serum iron and transferrin measurements.
• Analysis of 2425 serum samples from six distinct subject groups: blood donors, routine hospital patients, and elderly residents (males and females in each group).
• Statistical comparison of TS values across the different demographic and clinical groups.

Main Results:

• TS values in blood donors and hospital patients aligned with expected frequencies for TS <15% and >62%.
• The elderly group exhibited a zero frequency of TS values >62%.
• Mean TS values were significantly lower in the elderly group compared to blood donors and hospital patients (P<0.0001).

Conclusions:

• The reliability of the TS measurement procedure was supported by expected results in younger and adult groups.
• The significantly lower TS values in the elderly suggest a potential association with unrecognized iron overload and shortened survival.
• Simple biochemical tests for iron overload screening, like TS measurement, are valuable, especially for the elderly population.