title: [Iron deficiency in elderly patients: use of biomarkers].
abstract: Iron deficiency, due to blood loss or malabsorption, is commonly observed in geriatric practice. In elderly people, association of inflammatory diseases to iron loss makes diagnosis of absolute iron deficiency sometimes difficult. In case of inflammation, the interpretation of usual biomarkers of iron deficiency (serum ferritin, transferrin saturation, serum iron) may be difficult. The recent discovery of the role of hepcidine in the iron homeostasis, in physiological and pathological situation, contributes to better understanding of the iron regulation. The aim of this short paper is to underline some specificities of elderly iron physiology, to explain hepcidine's role in physiological and pathological situations and to propose a diagnostic approach for a better interpretation of usual biomarkers, in order to differentiate absolute iron deficiency and functional iron deficiency.
authors.affiliation: Service de court séjour gériatrique, GH Pitié-Salpêtrière-Charles Foix-DHU FAST, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital Charles Foix, Ivry-sur-Seine, France, UFR Médecine Pierre et Marie Curie, Université Paris 6, France.
authors.forename: Hélène
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Le Petitcorps
authors.affiliation: Service de court séjour gériatrique, GH Pitié-Salpêtrière-Charles Foix-DHU FAST, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital Charles Foix, Ivry-sur-Seine, France, UFR Médecine Pierre et Marie Curie, Université Paris 6, France.
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Monti
authors.affiliation: Service de court séjour gériatrique, GH Pitié-Salpêtrière-Charles Foix-DHU FAST, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpital Charles Foix, Ivry-sur-Seine, France, UFR Médecine Pierre et Marie Curie, Université Paris 6, France.
authors.forename: Éric
authors.initials: É
authors.lastname: Pautas
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000175:diagnosis*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D011990:Receptors, Transferrin / Q000097:blood; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014168:Transferrin / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D011990:Receptors, Transferrin; D014168:Transferrin; D005293:Ferritins; D007501:Iron
keywords: anemia; biomarker; iron; iron deficiency