Anemia Flashcards
Decreased serum Fe
Normal or Increased total iron binding capacity (TIBC)
Decreased % transferrin saturation
Very decreased ferritin
Iron deficiency anemia
What is serum fe?
Serum iron.
It begins to drop when the amount of iron actually in the body decreases and iron stores are used up
What is transferrin? What cayses it to increase or decrease?
Transferrin in the major iron-transporting protein in the blood
Increases in states of reduced iron
Decreased serum fe + increased transferrin (or TIBC) is highly suggestive of iron deficiency anemia
What is the % of transferrin saturation?
The extent to which binding sites for iron on transferrin proteins are occupied by iron
Decreased if low iron, increased if high iron (e.g. hemochromatosis)
What is serum ferritin?
Bears direct relationship to the amount of IRON STORES (not serum iron) in the body
Thus, reduced serum ferritin levels can be detected when iron stores are exhausted, even before serum iron decreases
Normal or increased serum Fe
Normal TIBC
Normal or Increased % transferrin saturation
Increased or Normal Ferritin
Thalassemia
Decreased serum Fe
Normal or decreased TIBC
Decreased % transferrin saturation
Normal or Increased ferritin
Anemia of chronic disease
Increased serum Fe
Decreased TIBC
Very increased % transferrin saturation
Very increased Ferritin
Hemochromatosis (iron overload)