L'intérêt du dosage de la ferritine dans la pathologie du fer

Ferritin is the best indicator of the body's iron reserves. One microgram (1 μg) of ferritin is reckoned to correspond to 8 mg of iron. The usefulness of ferritin assays in various disorders is discussed. In iron deficiency syndromes, the ferritin level is the first parameter to register a change, long before anemia develops, and it is therefore primordial in tne early detection of iron deficiency in high risk populations. On the other hand, it is also a good marker for excessive iron in patients receiving repeated transfusions. In cases in which there is also a concomitant liver disorder, tne ferritin/ALAT ratio can be used to evaluate the ferritin value as a function of the degree of cytolysis. This ratio can be used to determine whether there is any real excess of iron or not. Finally, the changes in ferritin levels during the course of various solid and hematological cancers are reviewed. An assay of ferritin determinations should be one of the basic determinations used to investigate iron disorders.