Iron deficiency: definition and diagnosis

Area of Science:

• Biochemistry
• Hematology
• Clinical Diagnostics

Background:

• Iron deficiency diagnosis and magnitude assessment methods have undergone continuous refinement over decades.
• Distinguishing true iron deficiency from other causes of iron-deficient erythropoiesis, like anemia of chronic disease, is a clinical challenge.
• Epidemiological assessments benefit from techniques quantifying body iron levels.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and highlight the focal role of serum ferritin in laboratory detection of iron deficiency.
• To discuss the utility of serum ferritin as a reliable index of body iron stores and a screening tool.
• To introduce serum transferrin receptor measurement as a potentially superior method for assessing tissue iron supply.

Main Methods:

• Review of established and emerging laboratory methods for iron status assessment.
• Focus on serum ferritin as a primary diagnostic marker.
• Evaluation of preliminary data on serum transferrin receptor for tissue iron assessment.

Main Results:

• Serum ferritin is a reliable indicator of body iron stores in healthy individuals.
• Serum ferritin offers a cost-effective screening method for iron deficiency.
• Serum ferritin serves as a valuable alternative to bone marrow examination in anemic patients.
• Preliminary studies suggest serum transferrin receptor is highly reliable for assessing tissue iron supply deficits.

Conclusions:

• Serum ferritin is central to current laboratory diagnostics for iron deficiency, applicable in both clinical and epidemiological settings.
• Serum transferrin receptor measurement shows significant potential for accurately assessing tissue iron deficits.
• Continued refinement of diagnostic methods is crucial for accurate iron status evaluation.