title: Soluble transferrin receptor in complicated anemia.
abstract: Determination of serum soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR) has been proposed to identify iron-deficiency anemia (IDA) in patients affected by concurrent inflammatory disease that may spuriously increase ferritin concentration. The aim of this study was to critically review the available literature to assess the diagnostic efficacy of sTfR in complicated anemia. The criteria for study selection were: enrolment of patients with complicated anemia; bone marrow examination used as diagnostic gold standard for IDA; evaluation of sTfR vs. ferritin and binary data presentation. Six published studies met the criteria. However, the small size and wide heterogeneity of the studies did not allow us to conduct a meta-analysis. sTfR was overall more sensitive, even though it was evident that the ferritin sensitivity was influenced by selected cut-offs. Well-designed studies are still needed to define the added value, if any, of sTfR to ferritin for IDA detection in complicated anemia.
authors: Centre for Metrological Traceability in Laboratory Medicine (CIRME), University of Milan, Milan, Italy; Clinical Biochemistry Laboratory, 'Luigi Sacco' University Hospital, Milan, Italy. Electronic address: federica.braga@unimi.it.
authors: Federica
authors: F
authors: Braga
authors: Centre for Metrological Traceability in Laboratory Medicine (CIRME), University of Milan, Milan, Italy; Clinical Biochemistry Laboratory, 'Luigi Sacco' University Hospital, Milan, Italy.
authors: Ilenia
authors: I
authors: Infusino
authors: Clinical Biochemistry Laboratory, 'Luigi Sacco' University Hospital, Milan, Italy.
authors: Alberto
authors: A
authors: Dolci
authors: Centre for Metrological Traceability in Laboratory Medicine (CIRME), University of Milan, Milan, Italy; Clinical Biochemistry Laboratory, 'Luigi Sacco' University Hospital, Milan, Italy.
authors: Mauro
authors: M
authors: Panteghini
mesh_terms: D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D011990:Receptors, Transferrin / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D012015:Reference Standards
chemical_list: D011990:Receptors, Transferrin; D005293:Ferritins
keywords: Anemia of chronic disease; Ferritin; Iron-deficiency anemia; Soluble transferrin receptor