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Iron overload (also known as haemochromatosis or hemochromatosis) is the abnormal and increased accumulation of total iron in the body, leading to organ damage. [1] The primary mechanism of organ damage is oxidative stress, as elevated intracellular iron levels increase free radical formation via the Fenton reaction.
Transferrin saturation (TS), measured as a percentage, is a medical laboratory value. It is the value of serum iron divided by the total iron-binding capacity [ 1 ] of the available transferrin , the main protein that binds iron in the blood, this value tells a clinician how much serum iron is bound.
Normally, HFE facilitates the binding of transferrin, which is iron's carrier protein in the blood. Transferrin levels are typically elevated at times of iron depletion (low ferritin stimulates the release of transferrin from the liver). When transferrin is high, HFE works to increase the intestinal release of iron into the blood.
high transferrin saturation; Hematocrit of about 20-30%; The mean corpuscular volume or MCV is usually normal or low for congenital causes of sideroblastic anemia but normal or high for acquired forms. With lead poisoning, see coarse basophilic stippling of red blood cells on peripheral blood smear
When plasma transferrin levels rise, there is a reciprocal decrease in percent transferrin iron saturation, and a corresponding increase in total iron binding capacity in iron deficient states [22] A decreased plasma transferrin level can occur in iron overload diseases and protein malnutrition.
Serum iron is a medical laboratory test that measures the amount of circulating iron that is bound to transferrin and freely circulate in the blood. Clinicians order this laboratory test when they are concerned about iron deficiency, which can cause anemia and other problems. 65% of the iron in the body is bound up in hemoglobin molecules in red blood cells.
It means that transferrin has the capacity to transport approximately from 1.40 to 1.49 mg of iron per gram of transferrin present in the blood. [ 2 ] It is performed by drawing blood and measuring the maximum amount of iron that it can carry, which indirectly measures transferrin [ 3 ] since transferrin is the most dynamic carrier.
Transfusional hemosiderosis can be inferred with a blood transferrin test. Blood ferritin may be increased with a number of other conditions, so is less reliable for diagnosis. [4] A liver biopsy may be used, which is the most accurate diagnostic technique. [4] The level of siderosis seen in a liver biopsy can be graded by severity. [2]