Disturbance of iron metabolism, particularly iron deficiency, are among the most commonly overlooked or misinterpreted diseases. This is due to the fact that the determination of transport iron in serum or plasma, which is the test used in conventional diagnosis, does not allow a representative estimate of the body’s total iron reserves. A proper estimate was formerly possible only by the costly and invasive determination of storage iron in the bone marrow; sensitive, well-standardized immunochemical methods for the precise determination of the iron storage protein ferritin in plasma are now available. Since the secretrion of this protein correctly reflects the reserves of depot iron in the majority of cases, these methods permit fast and reliable diagnoses, particularly of iron deficiency conditions. The fact that iron deficiency is so common and is usually simple to treat ought to be well known in the medical world. This book is intended to contribute to a better understanding of the main pathophysiological foundations and diagnostic principles.
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