Serum Iron |
60-170 µg/dL (10.7-30.4 µmol/L) |
- Measures the amount of iron in the blood.
- Low levels can indicate iron deficiency or chronic disease.
- High levels can indicate iron overload or haemolytic anaemia.
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- Low: Iron deficiency anaemia, chronic disease.
- High: Haemochromatosis, iron poisoning, haemolytic anaemia.
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Total Iron Binding Capacity (TIBC) |
240-450 µg/dL (42.9-80.6 µmol/L) |
- Measures the blood’s capacity to bind iron with transferrin.
- High levels indicate low iron stores (iron deficiency).
- Low levels indicate high iron stores or decreased transferrin production.
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- High: Iron deficiency anaemia.
- Low: Haemochromatosis, chronic illness, malnutrition.
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Transferrin Saturation |
20-50% |
- Calculated as (Serum Iron / TIBC) x 100.
- Indicates the percentage of transferrin that is saturated with iron.
- Low levels suggest iron deficiency.
- High levels suggest iron overload.
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- Low: Iron deficiency anaemia.
- High: Haemochromatosis, iron overload.
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Ferritin |
12-300 ng/mL (men), 12-150 ng/mL (women) |
- Reflects stored iron in the body.
- Low levels indicate depleted iron stores.
- High levels may indicate inflammation, infection, or iron overload.
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- Low: Iron deficiency anaemia.
- High: Haemochromatosis, inflammation, liver disease.
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Serum Transferrin |
200-400 mg/dL |
- A protein that binds and transports iron in the blood.
- Increases in iron deficiency to increase iron transport.
- Decreases in inflammation and liver disease.
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- High: Iron deficiency anaemia.
- Low: Chronic disease, liver disease.
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Serum Soluble Transferrin Receptor (sTfR) |
1.9-4.4 mg/L |
- Increases in response to iron deficiency.
- Useful in distinguishing between iron deficiency anaemia and anaemia of chronic disease.
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- High: Iron deficiency anaemia, erythropoietic activity.
- Normal: Anaemia of chronic disease.
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