title: How should hyperferritinaemia be investigated and managed?
abstract: Hyperferritinaemia is commonly found in clinical practice. In assessing the cause of hyperferritinaemia, it is important to identify if there is true iron overload or not as hyperferritinaemia may be seen in other conditions such as excess alcohol intake, inflammation and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Assessment of whether the serum ferritin level is elevated or not should take into account body mass index, gender and age. This review article provides an overview of the different causes of hyperferritinaemia, differentiating those due to iron overload from those not due to iron overload, and provides an algorithm for clinicians to use in clinical practice to carry out appropriate investigations and management.
authors.affiliation: Bruce Lefroy Centre, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Flemington Road, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia; The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia; Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Royal Melbourne Hospital, 300 Grattan Street, Parkville, Victoria 3050, Australia. Electronic address: Simyee.ong@mcri.edu.au.
authors.forename: Sim Y
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Ong
authors.affiliation: The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia; Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Royal Melbourne Hospital, 300 Grattan Street, Parkville, Victoria 3050, Australia; Department of Gastroenterology, Eastern Health, Arnold Street, Box Hill, Victoria 3128, Australia; Monash University, Clayton, Victoria 3800, Australia. Electronic address: Amanda.Nicoll@easternhealth.org.au.
authors.forename: Amanda J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Nicoll
authors.affiliation: Bruce Lefroy Centre, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Flemington Road, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia; The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia; Clinical Genetics, Austin Health, 145 Studley Road, Heidelberg, Victoria 3084, Australia. Electronic address: martin.delatycki@ghsv.org.au.
authors.forename: Martin B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Delatycki
mesh_terms: D016238:Cytapheresis; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005235:Fatty Liver, Alcoholic / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood*; D006432:Hemochromatosis / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications; D019190:Iron Overload / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D008099:Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications; D018962:Phlebotomy
chemical_list: D005293:Ferritins
keywords: Alcohol liver disease; Erythrocytapheresis; Haemochromatosis; Hyperferritinaemia; Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease; Phlebotomy