Diagnostic investigations in the elderly: the clinical usefulness of serum iron and transferrin measurements in the diagnosis of iron deficiency anaemia. An audit.
Many biochemical tests evaluated in young adults are widely used in the elderly without further evaluation. This study, designed to assess the clinical use of transferrin and transferrin saturation in the diagnosis of iron deficiency anaemia in the elderly, illustrates how these tests have a lower specificity in this age group, limiting their clinical use. Reasons for the altered results are discussed. If resources are to be used effectively, the usefulness of many investigations in the elderly needs to be examined and suitable age-adjusted reference ranges produced.
Markus
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D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000747:Anemia, Hypochromic / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000378:metabolism; D014168:Transferrin / Q000378:metabolism*
D012709:Serum Albumin; D014168:Transferrin; D007501:Iron