SERUM TRANSFERRIN RECEPTOR AND ITS RELATION TO SERUM FERRITIN IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF IRON DEFICIENCY ANEMIAS

Abstract

Tran sfetTin, transport iron into the cell. ft is a single chain gl ycoprotei n presnt in th e plasma and ex tra-vascular space. The uptake of iron from tra nsferrin req uires its attach ment to specific receptor sites on the cell surface. Transferrin a nd transferrin receptor genes present on chromosome No( 3).

lron defic iency a nemi a can be ca used by d i etary deviat i on of i ro n or by iron ma l a bsor pti o n , i mpottantly it may be th e first cl inica l si gn or increased blood l oss. Unexplai ned iron deficiency anem i a wa rnmt exten si ve i nvestigation of gastroin testinal tract, since th e proba bili ty of u lcers or mal ignant tum ors as the cause of blood l oss i s relativel y h igh , usin g tests distinguishing between i ron deficiency a nemia and anem i a that accompanies infect ion, i nOa mmation or mal ignacy is difficult, a s the commonl y used laboratory paramet ers do not necessaril y distingu ish between these common causes of anemia. Iron deficiency anemi a i s o ften as ociated with i nflamma tory disorders. The most con ventional parameters of iron metabolism are therefore affected, maki ng the evaluat ion of iron status difficult, serum t ransferrin receptor level are raised in iron defic iency b ut are not in flu enced by i nflammatory changes. The serum transferrin receptor leve l has been introduced as a promi si ng new tool for the diagnosi s of iron depl etion as the serum iron, tra nsferrin I total iron binding capaci ty, t ra nsferrin saturation and ferri tin are considered influenced by acute phase response which com pli r.ates the cl i nical i nterpretation of the test result. Plasma transferrin receptor helps to predict anemia of chronic diseases .