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Iron Profile

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Cause Increase Ferritin:

Ferritin act as an acute-phase protein:

  1. Acute inflammatory diseases.
  2. Infections.
  3. Metastatic cancers and lymphomas.
  4. Alcoholism.
  5. Collagen diseases.
  6. Uremia.


Increased ferritin level is a sign of excess iron seen in:

  1. Hemochromatosis.
  2. Hemosiderosis.
  3. Iron poisoning.
  4. Recent blood transfusion.
  5. Megaloblastic anemia.
  6. Hemolytic anemia.
  7. Chronic hepatitis.



Causes of Decrease Ferritin:


  1. Iron deficiency anemia when ferritin level is <10 ng/ml.
  2. Heavy menstrual bleeding.
  3. Persistent bleeding of GIT.
  4. Poor absorption by the GIT.

Increased TIBC :

      1. Pregnancy.
      2. Iron deficiency.
      3. Acute hepatitis.
      4. Acute and chronic blood loss.

The Decreased TIBC :

      1. Hemochromatosis.
      2. Hypoproteinemia in malabsorption.
      3. Burns.
      4. Cirrhosis.
      5. Renal diseases like nephrosis etc.
      6. Thalassemia.
      7. Hyperthyroidism.
      8. Chronic diseases.
      9. Non- iron deficiency anemia

Increased Transferrin :

      1. Iron deficiency anemia.
      2. Pregnancy.
      3. Estrogen therapy.

Decreased Transferrin :

      1. chronic infections.
      2. Microcytic anemia due to chronic diseases.
      3. Protein deficiency in malabsorption and burns.
      4. Liver disease, acute.
      5. The renal disease like nephrosis.
      6. Hemochromatosis.
      7. Genetic deficiency of transferrin.

Increased Serum Iron Total (Fe) :

  1. Hemolytic anemias.
  2. Hemochromatosis or hemosiderosis.
  3. Multiple transfusions.
  4. An overdose of iron therapy.
  5. Nephritis.
  6. Liver damage and acute hepatitis.
  7. Vit.B6 deficiency.
  8. Lead poisoning.
  9. Acute leukemias.
  10. Iron overload syndrome.

Decreased serum Iron Total (Fe) :

  1. Iron deficiency anemia.
  2. Inadequate absorption of iron.
  3. Chronic blood loss.
  4. Paroxysmal nocturnal hematuria.
  5. Pregnancy is mostly in the third trimester.
    1. There is a 30% decrease in iron after every menstrual cycle.
  6. Chronic diseases, e.g., chronic infections, autoimmune diseases like SLE, and rheumatoid arthritis.
  7. Remission of pernicious anemia.
  8. Inadequate absorption from the intestine is like malabsorption.
  9. Short bowel syndrome.
  10. Malignancies.
  11. Chronic hematuria.
  • Note: Serum iron should be advised along with total iron-binding capacity and transferrin.
    Please see more details on Total iron-binding capacity and Transferrin.