Serum ferritin as an indicator of iron deficiency. An examination of patients in a medical department
Stakkestad, J.A.; Bergesen, O.
Tidsskrift for den Norske Laegeforening Tidsskrift for Praktisk Medicin Ny Raekke 101(22): 1173-1176
1981
ISSN/ISBN: 0029-2001 PMID: 7281141 Document Number: 171050
The use of serum ferritin as an indicator of iron deficiency was investigated in 85 patients with various diseases. Bone-marrow aspiration was performed together with several hematological and clinical-chemical tests. Only a small number of patients without iron in their bone-marrow smears had serum ferritin values that indicated iron deficiency. Several patients needing supplemental iron had normal or high serum ferritin levels. Measurement of ferritin levels in blood did not give any further dianostic information than other well established and less expensive laboratory tests. Only a small correlation was found between serum ferritin and some common parameters of disease activity. A group of 33 healthy persons were examined to establish reference values.