Which combination of iron studies best fits iron deficiency anemia?

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Multiple Choice

Which combination of iron studies best fits iron deficiency anemia?

When iron stores are depleted, ferritin, which reflects stored iron, falls. With less iron available, serum iron also drops. In response to low iron, the body increases transferrin production to capture more iron, raising the total iron-binding capacity (TIBC). So the typical iron studies pattern in iron deficiency anemia is low ferritin, low serum iron, and high TIBC. The other patterns don’t fit this scenario: high ferritin can indicate inflammation or iron overload, and normal ferritin with normal iron doesn’t reflect deficiency; a high serum iron with low TIBC would not match iron-deficiency physiology.

When iron stores are depleted, ferritin, which reflects stored iron, falls. With less iron available, serum iron also drops. In response to low iron, the body increases transferrin production to capture more iron, raising the total iron-binding capacity (TIBC). So the typical iron studies pattern in iron deficiency anemia is low ferritin, low serum iron, and high TIBC. The other patterns don’t fit this scenario: high ferritin can indicate inflammation or iron overload, and normal ferritin with normal iron doesn’t reflect deficiency; a high serum iron with low TIBC would not match iron-deficiency physiology.

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