title: Elevated serum ferritin - what should GPs know?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Elevated serum ferritin is commonly encountered in general practice. Ninety percent of elevated serum ferritin is due to noniron overload conditions, where venesection therapy is not the treatment of choice.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This article aims to outline the role of the Australian Red Cross Blood Service Therapeutic Venesection program, to clarify the interpretation of the HFE gene test and iron studies, and to describe the steps in evaluating a patient with elevated serum ferritin.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  After exclusion of hereditary haemochromatosis, investigation of elevated serum ferritin involves identifying alcohol consumption, metabolic syndrome, obesity, diabetes, liver disease, malignancy, infection or inflammation as causative factors. Referral to a gastroenterologist, haematologist or physician with an interest in iron overload is appropriate if serum ferritin is >1000 µg/L or if the cause of elevated serum ferritin is still unclear.
authors.affiliation: UQ Rural Clinical School, Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia. k.goot@uq.edu.au
authors.forename: Katie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Goot
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hazeldine
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bentley
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Olynyk
authors.forename: Darrell
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Crawford
mesh_terms: D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000097:blood; D001315:Australia; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood*; D006432:Hemochromatosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000097:blood; D019190:Iron Overload / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000628:therapy; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D018962:Phlebotomy; D012011:Red Cross; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D014168:Transferrin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014168:Transferrin; D005293:Ferritins; D007501:Iron