Feeling tired frequently over a long period of time.Iron deficiency can cause the following symptoms: You may need a ferritin test if you have symptoms of iron deficiency or overload. A ferritin test measures the amount of this protein in the blood because it reflects the total amount of iron stored in your body. In this process, a small amount of ferritin leaves the cell and moves into the blood. When the body uses stored iron, a metabolic process separates iron from the ferritin inside the cell. Extra iron is stored in ferritin, which is usually concentrated in the liver and the cells of the immune system. Instead, iron binds to transferrin, which transports it to different parts of the body. Iron cannot exist on its own in the body. Ferritin is a protein that stores iron, an essential mineral that is needed for healthy growth and development. Testing measures the amount of ferritin circulating in the blood. Adult-onset Still’s disease (AOSD): This is a rare condition that causes joint pain and swelling, fevers, rash, and high levels of ferritin.Ferritin testing can determine whether iron deficiency may be contributing to RLS symptoms. Restless legs syndrome (RLS): This is characterized by uncomfortable feelings in the limbs and a strong urge to move them, especially when sitting or laying.Ferritin testing can help diagnose liver conditions such as alcohol abuse, cirrhosis, and hepatitis B and C infection. When the liver is damaged or diseased, iron and ferritin can leak from the liver into the blood. Liver disease: A large amount of our iron is stored in ferritin proteins in the liver.Iron overload can cause serious damage to your organs. Your body does not have a natural way to get rid of extra iron and it will deposit it in body tissues, like the liver, heart, and pancreas. Iron overload: High levels of iron are referred to as iron overload or hemochromatosis.Low iron levels in the blood reduce production of red blood cells, which affects the body’s ability to deliver enough oxygen to muscles and organs. Iron deficiency anemia: If your body’s iron levels are consistently low, iron deficiency can progress to anemia.Ferritin testing is used to screen for, diagnose, or monitor certain conditions, including: It is usually evaluated at the same time as blood tests, liver function tests, or iron studies, but a ferritin test result may be interpreted alone. An insufficient response to iron therapy in patients with chronic iron deficiency anemia may be ascribable, in some instances, to concomitant pathologic hemolysis.The test determines whether your body is storing a normal amount of iron. In 5 of these patients, the life span of red cells labeled with radioactive chromium was found shorter than normal. Six other patients with less severe iron deficiency anemia and an insufficient response to iron therapy were examined in addition. The constantly decreased serum iron concentration might also indicate a disturbance in the reutilization of iron liberated during red cell breakdown. The Fe 59 was apparently not sufficiently reutilized. This, too, indicates that the pathologic hemolysis was to be ascribed to extracorpuscular factors. There was no pathologic sequestration of red cells labeled with Cr 51 in the spleen.Īfter incorporation of radioactive iron into the red cells, the utilization percentage of Fe 59 under iron therapy fell to about 15 per cent within a few weeks. Extracorpuscular factors seem to be responsible for the pathologic hemolysis. The life span of the patients’ red cells was shortened transfused normal red cells were more rapidly broken down. A report is presented on two women suffering from severe iron deficiency anemia, concomitant with abnormal hemolysis.
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